A Whangārei business group is calling for ratepayer funding to mitigate crime it says is deterring shoppers from the city's CBD.
NorthChamber last month sent a letter to the Whangārei District Council on behalf of businesses, asking for an urgent funding boost for three months to "increase a visual presence of authority".
Whangārei District Council has formed a working group to address the issues, including upping the presence of CitySafe - a local community patrol group.
NorthChamber president Tim Robinson told AM on Thursday retailers were concerned about crime deterring people from the city centre.
"I guess it's just the age-old… if you're not feeling comfortable [and] if you're not feeling safe - you tend not to come," he told host Melissa Chan-Green.
"What we've asked [the] council for, just in the short-term, is an injection of funding… to, number one, increase the number of [CitySafe] feet on the ground and also the hours that they're working."
NorthChamber is also calling for CitySafe wardens to be better paid for the work they do.
"They are, for all intents and purposes, putting their bodies on the line and they're only getting a very small wage for that," Robinson said.
It comes as New Zealand deals with a spate of youth crime. The latest incident in Whangārei came on Wednesday afternoon when three youths were arrested after allegedly fleeing police and crashing into two vehicles, the Northern Advocate reported.
At a national Government level, Chris Hipkins took over the Police portfolio from Poto Williams in June. But Robinson said actions from Government agencies took weeks - and Whangārei needed immediate action.
"We're trying to take the initiative to do something that, number one, gives business owners and managers some peace of mind and also just gives people coming into town, again, peace of mind and some comfort that they can just go about their business," Robinson said.
Watch the full interview above.
