That Council:

3.1     Notes officers’ response to the 11 December 2024 Community Safety Notice of Motion.

Section 1 Community Safety Roundtable

3.2     Thanks participants in the Community Safety Roundtable process for their commitment and valuable ideas and insights.

3.3     Notes the Roundtable Report and Recommendations by Ian Gray from the Community Safety Roundtable held on 19 March 2025.

3.4     Requests the Mayor write to Ian Gray thanking him for his contribution to the Community Safety Roundtable session and Report.

3.5     Publishes on Council’s website the Roundtable Report and Recommendations, the pre-reading provided to the roundtable participants and the submissions provided by participants, where the participants have agreed to their release

3.6     Refers the Roundtable Report Recommendations related to Local Laws and protocols to the engagement around the Local Laws amendment as outlined in the Local Law Response paper 21 May 2025.

3.7     Requests that Council officers:

3.7.1         Continue implementation of the following recommendations from the Roundtable Report:

• Recommendation 2    Advocate for an ACLO role specific to the Port Phillip Police Service Area.
• Recommendation 12  Maintain and enhance existing partnership protocols among CoPP, Victoria Police, and key service providers (e.g., Launch, Access Health, Ngwala Willumbong).
• Recommendation 13  Continue to support and adequately fund service providers demonstrating effectiveness, particularly those working with high-impact cohorts (individuals leaving prison, mental health, or rehabilitation facilities).
• Recommendation 14  Lead a coordinated advocacy campaign to increase the resources of PACER and HOPS.
• Recommendation 16  Renew and clearly define service agreements between CoPP and community service agencies, outlining explicit mandates, outreach obligations, required capacities, and accountability mechanisms.
• Recommendation 17  Enhance the Port Phillip Zero collaboration, implementing identified improvements based on participant feedback.
• Recommendation 24  Urgently review and modify problematic public spaces (e.g., Woodstock), applying Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles.
• Recommendation 27  Review the current placement of CCTV cameras to ensure their ongoing value and efficacy to community safety efforts in the CoPP.
• Recommendation 29  Continue to invest in and publicise the work of the Trauma Aware Port Phillip group with a view to expanding its reach and impact.
• Recommendation 32  Review the need to equip CoPP Local Laws officers with protective gear (such as stab-proof vests) due to increased safety risks encountered.
• Recommendation 33  Provide Local Laws officers with essential equipment for emergency situations and site management, including temporary fencing, pressure cleaning equipment, and access control measures.

3.7.2         Commence review of each remaining recommendation and the Ian Gray report in its entirety in consultation with relevant stakeholders now and supplement with community feedback, as required, once this is available

3.7.3         Request that a report be brought back to Council regarding how each action will be implemented as part of the development of the Community Safety Plan.

3.8     Requests the Mayor to send the Roundtable Report and Recommendations to the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police and Local Inspector and invites them to meet with the Mayor and CEO. 

Section 2 Community Safety Plan

3.9     Endorses the approach and engagement methodology for development of the new Community Safety Plan.

3.10   Notes that the Roundtable Report and Recommendations will form part of engagement for the development of the Community Safety Plan.

3.11   Notes a draft Community Safety Plan based on feedback from engagement will come back to Council for review in August/September 2025.

Part 1

That Council

3.1       Endorses engagement with community, stakeholders and staff of responsibilities and escalation points and other factors in relation to:

• Protocols between Council, Service Providers and Victoria Police to support Community Amenity Local Law 2023.
• Effective implementation of the current Community Amenity Local Law 2023 to support the proposed protocols

3.2       Writes to the Inspector seeking a commitment from Victoria Police to work in partnership with Council to enact protocols to support people usually exempt under the Local Law Clause 42 Camping on Council Land.

3.3       Affirms that protocols are necessary to improve the effectiveness of Council Local Law and for the successful implementation of any proposed amendments to Council’s Local Laws in relation to Camping on Council Land

3.4       Notes the outcomes of investigations into potential amendments to the Community Amenity Local Law 2023 to address community safety, including those outlined in the Notice of Motion from the Council Meeting on 19 February 2025.

3.5       Notes that the Community Safety Roundtable Report includes discussion and recommendations on the Local Law amendments and protocols and that these have been considered in the Local Law review.

3.6       Notes the legal advice commissioned by the City of Port Phillip in relation to the February 19 Notion of Motion on changes to the local law is now available on Council’s public website.

Part 2

4            Endorses engaging on the potential amendment to the Local Law noting that this will include:

4.1       The ability to temporarily designate an area as a no encampment area in consultation with key stakeholders so that:

a)         The amenity of the Council land or the amenity of land in the vicinity of the Council land is or is likely to be adversely affected; or

b)         The safety or welfare of a person is or is likely to be put at risk by behaviours of persons congregating on Council land with the intention or apparent intention of camping or sleeping there.

4.2       Notes that:

a)         such a designation could be considered an exceptional circumstance after existing and enhanced assertive outreach models with service providers and supportive conversations had failed.

b)         that enforcement of the potential amendment would not include fines, but instead, the removal and impoundment of equipment following provision of outreach and support services, where individuals have refused both a request and then warning to remove the material from the designated area.