Attachments: 1 Supporting Attachment 2 Design of Victoria Police Pod

M A N A G E M E N T R E P O R T Agenda Item 6.2 HISTORY AND STATUS OF THE PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OF A VICTORIA POLICE POD IN SOUTHBANK

28 September 2010

Presenter: Linda Weatherson, Director Community Development

Purpose and background

1. The Future Melbourne Committee at its meeting of 14 September, resolved in part, that:

1.1 Management confirm with Victoria Police that there is a demand for the police pod and that they will fund staffing and maintenance.

2. In mid 2007 through to 2008, the City of Melbourne (CoM) and Victoria Police identified the need for a multi-agency facility / Police Pod in the Southbank area. The areas of concern included anti-social behaviour (public urinating) in Riverside Quay, violence at the Riverside skatepark and Whiteman Street (rear of Crown Casino), unruly queuing and violent assaults outside Queensbridge Hotel, noise from Boulevard nightclub and police response times to these issues. The idea had the support of all surrounding businesses and residents in the area including the Southbank Safety and Security Committee.

3. The CoM investigated the opportunity for leasing premises along Southbank Promenade to increase police presence and improve responsiveness. There were no sites available and the cost of leasing was considered prohibitive. The Urban Design branch designated a site in Queensbridge Square and finalised design plans for the Police Pod that met the needs of Victoria Police and the urban design requirements of the area.

4. The installation of the multi-agency facility / Police Pod stalled due to concerns from the Police Association and because prefabricated units available in the state were required for the bushfire recovery post 7 February 2009.

Key issues

5. A number of changes have occurred since the proposal’s inception. These include the closure of Queensbridge Hotel, the multi-agency component no longer being required, and a change in Superintendent and Inspector for the area.

6. Public order crime data for Southbank provided by Victoria Police (assaults, property damage, harassment and anti-social behaviour in public) increased by 48.5 per cent between 2007-08 and 2009-10 There has been a greater than 10 per cent increase in the first three months of 2010-11 in assaults and anti-social behaviour in public for the same period in 2009-2010.

7. Superintendent Rod Wilson has provided in writing, Victoria Police’s commitment to resourcing and maintaining a pod if Council was to provide one on Southbank. The Superintendent has, however, made it clear that Southbank would not be a priority location if the Victoria Police was funding the installation.

Recommendation from management

8. That the Future Melbourne Committee recommend Council:

8.1. considers the information provided in this report in determining whether it funds the installation of a police pod on Southbank and connection of the associated utilities required.

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Attachment 1 Agenda Item 6.2

Council 28 September 2010

1.

SUPPORTING ATTACHMENT

Legal

1. Queensbridge Square is Crown land over which the Council is the Committee of Management. The Department of Sustainability and Environment would be consulted if the Council was proposing to proceed with its use.

Finance

2. The total cost of establishing the services and constructing the pod is estimated at $250,000 plus service connection costs ($100,000). There is no provision in the 2010-11 Annual Plan and Budget for these works. The Council at its discretion is able to approve the additional cost.

Conflict of interest

3. No member of Council staff, or other person engaged under a contract, involved in advising on or preparing this report has declared a direct or indirect interest in relation to the matter of the report.

Stakeholder consultation

4. A series of meetings and discussions have taken place with key members from within Victoria Police, the Police Association and the Southbank Safety and Security Group regarding the need, location, design and staffing of the Victoria Police Pod in Queensbridge Square, Southbank.

5. Through discussions with Victoria Police in 2007-08:

5.1. local police advised council officers of a benefactor who would be able to supply and build a prefabricated pod free of charge;

5.2. the Police Association indicated that they did not support the proposal based on concerns that the pod would not meet the safety needs of officers; and

5.3. Council confirmed its support for the placement of a multi-agency facility in Southbank to address customer service and safety concerns in the area and the need for Victoria Police to work with the Police Association to help overcome their concerns.

6. According to Victoria Police crime statistics for the Southbank area (post code 3006), public disorder crime (assaults, property damage, harassment and behaviour in public) has increased by 48.5 per cent over the last year with 405 public order offences in 2008-09 and 787 in 2009-10. Southbank had the highest increase for public order offences when compared to other entertainment precincts in the municipality in the same period i.e. Melbourne CBD (post code 3000) 33per cent increase with 4620 public order offences in 2008-09 and 6904 in 2009-10; Docklands (post code 3008) 36 per cent increase with 147 public order offences in 2008-09 and 230 in 2009-10; Carlton (post code 3053) 15.5 per cent increase with 299 public order offences in 2008-09 and 354 in 2009-10.

Relation to Council policy

7. The recommendations within this report align with priorities and goals identified in Future Melbourne Plan, Council Plan 2009-2013, Melbourne’s Policy for a 24 Hour City and the Strategy for a Safer City 2007-2010 for a stimulating and safe 24 hour city.

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2.

Environmental sustainability

8. A key feature for the proposed prefabricated pod will be environmentally conscious construction, of either recycled or sustainable natural materials, such as long lasting timber and recycled metal. An insulated wall system will provide the necessary warmth in winter and an operable external louver system allows for fresh cross ventilated air to cool the building during the summer. Sun shading devices on the northern facade have taken into account the need for sun protection during the summer months and more direct sunlight during the colder winter months.

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Police Pod CLIENT PROJECT

CITY OF MELBOURNE Police Pod

ARTISTS IMPRESSION ONLY THESE WAGE:SANE INTENDED AS AWICE ONLY ANOMIE 4)T TO BE USED FOR TENOERINU OR CONSTRUCTION PURPOSES 0 ODPYRIGHT CI TY OF MEI POORNE

I I I I I I I PASSED APPROVED DRAWN DATE SCALE PROJECT NUMBER DRAWING NUMBER

1W: RA: VR: 23.09.2010 1:50 @ A3 902605 1

CFR OF MELBOURNE

Attachment 3 Agenda Item []

Future Melbourne Committee 12 October 2010

Plan

North West Elevation - Closed Box - Broken Pattern

North West Elevation - Open Box - Police Tesselation Pattern

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