Early Intervention Key In Crime Prevention: Singleton Mayor

BY JARROD MELMETH

Early intervention to reduce the risk of substance abuse in Singleton is the first order of business for the revitalised Community Drug Action team.

The need for the program was one of the outcomes from the Youth & Alcohol and Other Drugs forum held at Singleton Youth Venue recently and has been resurrected by council in an effort to provide support and raise awareness locally for young people. 

Community Drug Action teams were established in 1999 and have led thousands of activities to engage at-risk youth, educate parents and wider community through activities and campaigns. The initiative is supported by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation and funded by NSW Health.

The latest statistics from the Bureau of Crime Statistics show a 53 per cent increase in amphetamine possession and/or use in the Singleton LGA between 2016-17.

Singleton Mayor Sue Moore said while alcohol and substance abuse is growing problem it is not exclusive to just Singleton.

"It's growing in every area and early intervention is, of course, a key to being able to stop the addiction which rolls on to many other aspects of crime, not just drug and alcohol," Cr Moore said.

Council's Strategy and Engagement Manager Natalie Zagninski said the program will work in partnership with the Red Cross and the Save a Mate program to raise funds to educate young people about keeping themselves and others safe.

"This kind of initiative is especially timely given school end-of-year celebrations are just around the corner and young people are planning schoolies activities.

Other programs on offer under the initiative include Responsible Service of Alcohol, Driver Education and First Aid.

Two New Bus Services for Singleton

BY DANIELLE RIES

An announcement by the Minister for Transport Andrew Constance today is the first step in the right direction to improving public transport in Singleton.

The council is pleased the government has listened to their calls for two new inbound and outbound bus services will run between Singleton and Maitland.

These services will run twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon, with it making stops at Branxton, Greta and Lochinvar before arriving at its destination of Maitland train station.

Singleton Mayor Sue Moore

This is a great opportunity for residents to show their support by using the services in hopes of reaching their prospects of getting a train station at Singleton.

Singleton Mayor Sue Moore says the bus services will be beneficial to the community.

"The community was very pleased to have a better connection. Ultimately they would have liked to have two more trains which has been the ongoing request for a number of years, but to have a more direct bus service rather than a service that stops 43 times certainly made much more sense".

She also says these services will commence next week.

"Bus services will commence on Monday and it will be 7 days a week, so it will carry forward on Saturdays and Sundays as well. That'll allow students and people to get to medical appointments and Tafe and educational purposes in the lower Hunter much easier than they currently are".