Gun crime has shot up in some places and trended downwards in others

The Avon Loop area in Christchuch has seen a doubling of incidents, while the nearby Styx area has seen almost three times as many incidents.

Hamilton Central, and the Punaruku-Kiripaka area in Whangarei have also seen sharp increases.

It's not all bad news though... the Wairoa area had 15 firearms incidents between August last year and July this year, down from 35 for the previous period.

Mayor Craig Little says more information has helped them start the turnaround.

He says they communicate more with police now.