Crime, dumping and road safety on Katherine Town Council’s new 12-month hit list
Katherine councillors will this week vote on an ambitious plan spanning community safety, business engagement and public amenity, including free pool entry over summer — but key details on costs and measures remain thin. Read the details.
From beautifying roundabouts to fighting crime, Katherine councillors will this week vote on an ambitious 12‑month plan spanning community safety, business engagement and public amenity.
The plan, which will be voted on at Tuesday’s council meeting, broadly sets out assessable goals for each elected member for the next six to 12 months, but leaves open how they’ll be delivered.
Under the plan, if it passes, Katherine Mayor Joanna Holden’s goal will be to “encourage community connection and wellbeing” by giving the community free entry to the Katherine pool through December and January.
The $11.8 million pool redevelopment was supposed to be finished by October, but unexplained delays and budget blowouts under the previous council pushed that deadline back to November.
Ms Holden in a statement last month thanked the previous council for “progressing a project of such importance to Katherine” and said the pool was “essential for the health and wellbeing of our community”.
Additionally, Deputy Mayor Mel Doyle’s goal would be to strengthen the council’s relationship with local businesses, industry leaders and community stakeholders by establishing a ‘Business and Tourism Working Group’.
It was not immediately clear who would form this group.
The agenda said councillor Anjali Palmer would establish a ‘Community Safety Action Group’, which would notionally deliver a “structured, collaborative and preventive” approach to build long-term safety and “resilience”.
According to the agenda, the group would bring together 12 community advocates to implement “locally tailored violence-prevention and youth diversion programs”.
The group, according to the agenda, would include a senior resident, a youth resident, four other residents, a representative of the Katherine Youth Justice Reinvestment Committee and a KYJRC youth group representative.
It would also include three First Nation leaders, a representative of the Chief Minister Department or Department of Corrections, and at least two representatives of the Katherine Town Council.
Support to the committee would supposedly require administrative positions of five hours per week, costing $12,000 per year, and $2000 per annum incidentals for attendance at CPTED workshops by committee members.
The agenda said councillor Kathy Glass’s goal would be to reduce illegal dumping and boost community appearance by changing the existing waste management facility opening hours.
Councillor Toni Tapp Coutts’ goal, the agenda said, would be to “enhance safety and environs” of Katherine by undertaking a sign audit with recommendations for improvements and the beautification of roundabouts.
Councillor Kathryn Whitehouse’s goal would be to reduce the impacts of crime on the community and enhance public spaces by partnering with the Department of Corrections, the agenda said.
Councillor Jim King’s goal would be to increase road safety for road trains install a “No Road Trains” allowed on Zimin Drive at Gillard Rd to prevent trucks becoming stuck at the low level, the agenda said.
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Originally published as Crime, dumping and road safety on Katherine Town Council’s new 12-month hit list
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