ALBANY’S business community remains in a state of confusion after a City of Albany committee recently voted against meeting with the Office of Crime Prevention.

It was hoped the City would enter into a Community Safety and Crime Prevention Partnership which would allow the development of practical responses to local crime issues.

Albany Mayor Milton Evans said the Planning and Environment Strategy and Policy Committee meeting supported Council’s approach to stamping out crime.

“The committee recommended convening a group of stakeholders to form a collaborative approach to tackling crime in Albany,” Mr Evans said.

“This could bring police, business owners and other interested people together to consider the issues involved in designing out crime.”

Albany MLA Peter Watson was disappointed the City had decided against entering into the partnership.

“What the City is doing is going ahead with its own ideas,” Mr Watson said.

“They don’t want the State Government to help, so they’re going to set up their own group which won’t involve the community.

“This thing’s been going around since 2004 and the indications I have – and the police have and the Office of Crime Prevention have – is they are not interested.

“The State Government, through the Office of Crime Prevention, has instigated at least four meetings with the City to try and negotiate a partnership agreement.”

By being involved in the partnership, the City would be eligible for between $5,000 and $10,000 in funding to develop a Community Safety and Crime Prevention Plan.

This was backed by $1,200 per year to cover administrative costs over the life of the plan.

The City would also be eligible for a $20,000 incentive grant to assist in the implementation of the plan.

Police and Emergency Services Minister John Kobelke said the funding would still be available if another party was willing to take the partnership on board after he was notified of the situation by Mr Watson.

The Community Safety and Crime Prevention Partnership is now being offered to the Albany Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“The City has had plenty of opportunities to take this on board, so it’s been decided to offer it to the ACCI,” Mr Watson said.

ACCI CEO Graham Harvey said the Chamber would hold a board meeting next week to discuss the matter.

“The vast majority of local government authorities in WA have entered into partnerships, but for some reason, the City of Albany refuses to,” Mr Watson said.

“By contrast, we have seen the Albany Chamber of Commerce and Industry take the initiative and successfully apply for significant funding from the Federal Government to install CCTV cameras in Albany.”

Mr Watson said if the City of Albany was involved in the partnership program, it would also be able to apply for Office of Crime Prevention grants to undertake eligible projects.

“Community safety and crime prevention is just too important an issue to be the subject of bickering and fruitless negotiations, this program needs to be put in place now,” he said.

Albany City Council declined a meeting with the Office of Crime Prevention, but backed the need for a meeting with police and business owners to form a collaborative approach to reducing antisocial behaviour in the CBD.