9 May 2013

Strathfield Council’s proposals to make the area even safer were given the thumbs-up, after it was awarded a $50,000 Crime Prevention Grant to implement safety initiatives within the Municipality.

The grant, made available by the NSW Department of Attorney General and Justice, will enable Council to undertake a number of projects including the installation of five light towers at the Exeter Road Car Park in Homebush West and a program of monthly street barbeques informing community members about how they can reduce the risk of being targeted by thieves.

Mayor of Strathfield Gulian Vaccari said Council was appreciative of receiving the grant and that the projects Council proposed struck a balance between making improvements and educating the community.

“We’d like to make our community feel safe, and in our grant application, we intentionally tried to find the right balance between making improvements and running programs to educate our community about personal safety,” he said.

“As a result, we proposed the installation of lighting at the Homebush West Car Park, while we’re also going to undertake monthly ‘street barbeques’ where Council officers and Police will be on hand to educate the community about simple techniques to enhance their own personal safety.

“In addition, we will prepare brochures in languages commonly spoken in our area to ensure we reach our entire community and educate them regarding the simple ways they can minimise the chances of being a target of crime.

“Now that we have received the funding, we’re excited about starting these projects and further reducing the rates of crime in our area.”