Taupo aiming to be 'International Safe Community'

Taupo is progressing toward gaining accreditation from the World Health Organization (WHO) as an ‘International Safe Community’.

Early in 2009 the Taupo Safe District Committee put in action the Taupo Safe District Project Plan, which has a vision to see Taupo become a safe district to live, work and play. Accreditation would recognise Taupo as a safe place to live, with lowering rates of crime, injury and road crashes.

The 27th May 2010 is set down as Award Ceremony date, following a site visit to Taupo from Doctor Carolyn Coggan Director of Safe Communities Foundation NZ, and other certifying personnel working on behalf of the World Health Organization.

Doug Scott, Project Manager - Safe Communities, in addressing staff at Taupo District Council recently gave an overview of the Taupo Safe District Project Plan and evaluation progress against time frames in the process to gain international recognition for the Taupo District.

Six criteria are to be addressed each looking at injury, crime, safety and the various projects for prevention and reduction thereof. This covers people of all ages and ethnicity in the district, especially children, youth and the elderly.

“Taupo is very fortunate in that we have the Taupo Council of Social Services, where representatives of a large number of organisations meet monthly to freely discuss, collaborate and exchange initiatives and ideas based on creating a safer community. We also meet with representatives of Govt Departments to discuss current issues. Communication between Departments and organisations is vital for realising our goals,” said Mr Scott.

“Couple this with the regular programmes; fall prevention, water safety, fire safety,
rural safety, and all road and Land Transport initiatives, plus health and safety issues, Police initiatives on family violence, and crime reduction, and an over-arching picture shapes our wonderful district.”

Mr Scott says that unfortunately alcohol affected behaviour is a theme that runs through all areas of safety. “It will be of vital interest for us to see how politicians tackle the Law Commissions’ recommendations in March of this year, as I’m sure it will for Police, Lakes District Health Board, and ACC, who along with the Taupo District Council, are partners in the coalition steering committee driving the accreditation process.”

The Taupo Safe Community team are currently working on many other safety related projects, including off licence alcohol accord, road transport initiatives, urban design for safer houses and suburbs, work place safety, community ambassadors, youth projects, safe kids, re-vamped parent pack booklet for parents of teenagers, graffiti reduction, and crime prevention initiatives in Turangi and Mangakino.

“We do have a vibrant, beautiful district and to lower the crime or injury rate by one percent is a major achievement not only in cost savings, but in safety for our residents and visitors alike,” says Mr Scott.

Doug Scott is able to be contacted on direct dial 376-0698