Street scene manager GordYobs cost us all
£1,000 a monthon Morris with a covert
surveillance camera in Priory Park.
VANDALISM and criminal damage in Priory Park is costing taxpayers more than £1,000 every month.
Surveillance of the park is now set to be stepped up after the long-running catalogue of damage escalated over the summer months.
Malvern Hills District Council's street scene manager Gordon Morris has revealed that more than £2,200 of damage was caused in August alone, through damage to trees and plants, graffiti and even rubbish bins being set ablaze.
Damage totalling £5,084 was recorded in the five-month period between April and August, with a further £1,300 so far in September.
The latest episode of vandalism occurred on Wednesday night, when an acer tree and plants worth £600 were torn up and thrown into the pond.
"This is something that we have got at the very top of our list to eradicate, because it is just costing so much money, and that money comes from the taxpayers," said Mr Morris. "It's a matter of kids looking to cause trouble, but it is a major concern."
Mr Morris said four new cameras from the council's former depot site would be installed near to Malvern Theatres.
"That will increase our coverage substantially, and we also have our covert CCTV camera which we keep moving around to various places in the park," he said. "We will liaise with the police over any footage we pick up from those, and if there is any evidence of criminal damage then we will not hesitate to take the matter to court."
Insp Clive Griffiths, of Malvern Police, said they were in discussions with parties including the theatre, district council, Malvern Town Council and The Splash leisure centre over ways to tackle the problems.
"Some of the ground work we have already done with MHDC has given us good results," he said. "Some people have been caught causing damage in the park and they have been dealt with under the law."
Insp Griffiths added that while Priory Park was an ongoing problem, he believed the situation was gradually improving.
"We've not had anywhere near the amount of problems that we had last year," he said. "We know the problem has not quite gone away, and that there is still more to do, hence we will continue to work to improve the security."
Joan Nicholls, who lives in Orchard Road, agreed that noise levels had dropped this year.
"I think that is partly because the weather has not been so good," she said. "I don't think the people who do it realise just how much noise they are making, and how easily it carries."
http://www.malverngazette.co.uk/news/malvnewsroundup/display.var.1726100.0.yobs_cost_us_all_1_000_a_month.php
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