Communities with the need for extra camera surveillance are being encouraged to come forward.

Applications are now open for Western Bay of Plenty District Council's CCTV Fund, with $50,000 available.

The fund is designed to prevent crime and deter anti-social behaviour by adding to the growing network of CCTV (closed circuit television) cameras around the District.

Council's operations manager Kerrie Little says it's important that people feel safe in our District, and the CCTV Fund helps to achieve this.

'We're keen to work with the community to determine the most-needed locations for that added security.

'So if there's a blind spot that needs some surveillance in your neighbourhood, please put an application in.”

Kerrie says the fund has grown in popularity over its short life, with applications increasing from 2021 to 2022, which means there will likely be some applications that miss out.

'In the first two years of the fund we've installed 17 new cameras around the rohe. There have been some great applications that unfortunately missed out on the last funding rounds so we'd love for those groups to consider reapplying this year.”

Applications will be considered by a panel including Councillors Rodney Joyce, Margaret Murray-Benge and Richard Crawford, Council's Operations Manager Kerrie Little and a NZ Police representative.

See westernbay.govt.nz/cctvfund for application forms and more information. Applications close at 5pm, Thursday, August 10, 2023.

Completed forms can either be emailed to [email protected] (subject 2023 CCTV Fund) or dropped off at one of our library and service centres at Waihī Beach, Katikati, Ōmokoroa, Barkes Corner or Te Puke.

Please note, applications to monitor private property will not be considered.

About the fund

For the last two years, Western Bay residents have been invited to apply to Council's CCTV Fund for purchasing new CCTV cameras to help secure shared spaces across the rohe.

The CCTV fund is an outcome from Council's Long Term Plan 2021-2031, with our five Community Boards showing strong support for this initiative.

The $50,000 fund runs for three years (total $150,000), with the last year being 2023. The continuation of the fund will be considered as part of the Long Term Plan 2024-34.

New camera locations from the 2021 and 2022 fund can be found here.