BATH: CONCERN MOUNTS OVER CITY'S YOBS

CONCERN MOUNTS OVER CITY'S YOBS

Police and youth workers have stressed they are trying to tackle anti-social behaviour in Bath.But both say they will never be able to eliminate yobbishness from areas such as Royal Victoria Park and Kingsmead Square.

Agencies at a new form of consultative meeting in the city centre this week were told that anti-social behaviour was continuing to cause problems across the city.

Meetings of of the city centre residents' Partners and Communities Together (PACT) group have identified such behaviour as a key concern.

The latest calls for action come after the fight on Saturday in Kingsmead Square, and continued vandalism, noise, littering and violence blamed on groups hanging about in parks and streets.

Pc Andrew Yates, beat manager for the city centre, told residents that since a PACT meeting last month, 74 patrols of Royal Victoria Park - identified as an anti-social behaviour hotspot by residents - had been carried out.

Thirteen anti-social behaviour forms had been filled in by youngsters pledging to mend their ways, and there were 12 seizures of alcohol.

The police also received eight calls in relation to anti-social behaviour in the area, two calls about violent crime and two calls about criminal damage, which led to a man being charged.

Pc Yates said: "We're never ever going to prevent anti-social behaviour issues from happening."

But he added that police were doing their best to respond to calls from the public.

In spot checks of premises licensed to sell alcohol, one shop was caught selling to under- age drinkers, and this was now being dealt with by the police, said Pc Yates.

Sam West, a council youth worker targeting the park, said many of the youths did not meet to cause problems, but simply to congregate together.

He said in many ways it was better that they were contained in one area, but admitted that residents would see this differently.

"They go there to hang out and they will drink under-age," he added. "Kids will be kids. We can't stop young people from going there."

But residents said the authorities also needed to look at other areas, including Henrietta Park and Kingsmead Square.

Anti-social behaviour, including noise, alcohol, defecation and outdoor drinking, was again highlighted as the main priority to be worked on before the next meeting.

Litter was another worry, with residents arguing that litbins were too small and management of rubbish collection unsatisfactory.

The next meeting is at 6.30pm on Wednesday, November 7 at the Percy Community Centre in New King Street.

Bath and North East Somerset Council meets tonight to discuss whether to bring in more restrictions on new pubs and clubs in the city.


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