By Casey Neill
Up to $700,000 will help Greater Dandenong to tackle youth crime.
The cash was announced as part of the State Government’s Community Safety Statement, released on Wednesday 7 December. It will come from a $6.5 million pool for eight priority communities with higher crime rates and higher proportion of repeat youth offenders.
It will fund community-led partnerships to develop and implement youth crime prevention strategies.
A workshop in February will bring together representatives from the local police, schools, not-for-profit organisations and local government to discuss and plan how to use the funds.
Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams will take part in the event, and said she looked forward to working with the community to tackle youth crime.
Police Minister Lisa Neville announced that Greater Dandenong would also receive a $150,000 Public Safety Infrastructure Fund (PSIF) grant towards the Dandenong Park Master Plan Redevelopment.
The cash will help Greater Dandenong Council to implement urban design improvements including new lighting and a pedestrian pathway network to address high levels of criminal and anti-social behaviour, It will also help restore a sense of community ownership and improve perceived and actual safety levels.
“Our communities know their local issues and know what works – and these projects will help improve our public spaces and stop crime before it happens,” Ms Neville said.
On Monday 12 December, she also announced that through the Community Safety Fund, the Second Springvale Scout Group hall in Springvale South would benefit from a $7282 security upgrade.
