RESIDENTS in Wantage are so concerned about yobbish anti-social behaviour they have pleaded with MP Ed Vaizey to help them reclaim the streets.
Mr Vaizey was due to meet a group of residents from the Smith's Wharf area of the town tomorrow to discuss their fears and respond to appeals for more police action.
He said: "Naturally, I'm concerned to hear about these incidents that are causing concern to residents.
"People are calling for action. We need to look at whether the police are responding appropriately enough - and there's the continued debate over youth provision in the town."
One resident from Smith's Wharf said he planned to move out because he was fed up with late-night noise and vandalism.
The man, aged 35 who did not want to be named, said: "The youngsters are using the play area as a fairground at 2am, drinking and urinating on the play equipment and I am sick to death of it.
"It is terrible and the park needs to be closed. I'm concerned about my children going into the park in case they get cut with glass from broken bottles. Nobody takes any responsibility for it.
"The meeting is definitely a good thing and it needs Mr Vaizey to help sort it out, but it is not just this area - the problem needs to be tackled across the whole country." The meeting is the latest development following a spate of serious incidents this year in Wantage.
In August, five youths were arrested and one taken to hospital after a violent brawl in the Smith's Wharf, near Mill Street. Earlier this year, a 22-year-old man suffered stab wounds and, in another incident, a teenage girl was raped.
Since then, people living in the Wharf area and the Charlton and Stockham districts have complained about alcohol-fuelled, unruly behaviour. They say they are at their wits ends about drinking and drug-taking near children's play areas and petty vandalism.
Vale of White Horse District councillor for Charlton ward, Bill Melotti, said: "I have had a lot of feedback from residents and this will be passed on to the police and the local neighbourhood action group for discussion.
"The feeling is that the public wants to see a greater police presence to stop unacceptable behaviour that is making the lives of some people a misery.
"The police have been active in the Charlton district confiscating alcohol from young people and warning shops about their obligations in not selling alcohol to young people. I think we need to see more of this action extended to other areas."
Last month, the Wantage Herald reported how some residents wanted to see a more high-profile police presence with curbs on drinking, better surveillance of pubs and more CCTV cameras.
http://www.heraldseries.net/news/latest/display.var.1716525.0.get_yobs_off_the_streets.php
No comments:
Post a Comment