Four new locations, including two near schools, will benefit from added security thanks to the latest round of Western Bay's CCTV fund.

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

The $50,000 fund runs for three years (total $150,000), with the last year being 2023.

Council's operations manager, Kerrie Little, sat on the decision-making panel.

She says the fund is designed to help keep people feel safe.

'Two of the newly approved CCTV locations are near schools in Katikati and Waitangi, so we're putting some of this fund toward giving these whānau, their tamariki and the wider school community a little more security and confidence.

'And the support allocated to the Bell Road Boat Ramp will add to a wider project to upgrade security at this site. It's been a long standing problem area and we hope this mahi will make a big difference.”

The new cameras will be installed at

• Intersection of Beach Road and Park Road, Katikati, across from the school
• Te Puke Highway and Rangiuru, Waitangi
• Te Puke Highway bridge over the Kaituna River, near Rangiuru Road, Te Puke
• Bell Road Boat Ramp, near the intersection of Bell Road and Tauranga Eastern Link

Kerrie says the group had to make some difficult decisions about who would get funding this year.

'With a small pot of money and a long list of applications, we wanted to make a big difference with every dollar spent and support the existing camera network.

'Only by combining information from the community, input from elected members and valued insight from the Police were we able to narrow it down.

'The level of applications was really impressive and is a good indicator how much the community value this fund.

'We hope the people who missed out will reapply in 2023.”

The CCTV fund is an outcome from Council's most recent Long Term Plan 2021-2031. Community Boards have also strongly supported this initiative.

The fund has grown in popularity over its short life, with applications increasing from 2021 to 2022.

Applications were considered by a panel featuring Councillors Allan Sole, Margaret Murray-Benge and Monique Gray, Council's Operations Manager Kerrie Little and a NZ Police representative. Applications to monitor private property/ land were not eligible.

More information on the fund, and last year's successful applications (supplemented by operational budgets) can be found online at westernbay.govt.nz/cctv