An interesting article in the Echo reflects some of the comments on onlinefocus and a lot of the feedback we are getting face-to-face from residents:
A COUNCIL worker is calling for a crackdown on yobs misbehaving in parks.
The Rochford District Council employee, who did not wish to be named, contacted the Echo about vandalism, antisocial behaviour and underage drinking in parks in Rayleigh, Hockley and Hawkwell.
The man, who regularly litter-picks in 11 sites across Rochford district, raised particular concerns about Clements Hall where the teen shelter has been continuously smashed up, and Sweyne Park.
He also said in Fairview playing fields, in Rayleigh, a number of trees were recently snapped at the entrance to the field and he spent an hour clearing up after garden furniture was dumped there.
The man is calling for police to give out dispersal orders and fines in these parks to remove the troublemakers.
He said: ?I have lived in Rayleigh for many years and it is slowly turning into a tip. It breaks my heart to see this mindless behaviour.
?The amount of litter and broken bottles that has to be cleared at Sweyne Park is bad.
?It?s a shame because there are many young groups of youths that behave well, but there are a small minority that treat the facilities with no respect…..
I couldn’t agree more. From what I have been reading on this site lately, anti social behaviour and crime does seem to be an increasing problem in Rayleigh. However I do not believe it is too late to try and nip this in the bud and save this towns reputation so PLEASE can the police step in and start caracking down on this before it is too late.
Having spent along with other dog walkers over an hour of my dog walk this morning clearing up broken and burnt cans from Sweyne Park I couldn’t agree more that this mindless behaviour needs to be addressed, two bonfires were lit in the park overnight, having spoken to another dog walker the said youths were erecting their camp at 6pm yesterday evening. I would have thought Saturday night would be a prime time for the park to have a police patrol, how is it that two fires were lit, and a small tent erected without anyone noticing if patrols are on the increase? The said youths had also decided that a good pastime would be to sit on a concrete bunker by the lake and smash bottles against it, the shards of glass were so sharp that any dog would have sliced their paw, let along what a small child would have done had they fallen on it, this has got to stop, I wouldn’t have even entertained behaving in this manner as a teenager, for one it wouldn’t have entered my head to do it, but secondly I was brought up to respect where I lived, and to respect other peoples property and space, if warnings are not working then maybe the police need to get tougher and looking at the amount of Asda bags amongst the rubbish perhaps they should up the age limit for alcohol sales to at least 25, maybe the threat of the loss of their license would be listened to. Having recently been told by police that if groups are building up round Asda they are moved towards the park as it is perceived they can do less damage, perhaps this needs to be readdressed and instead of moving them on they are dealt with there and then. The minority are most definitely spoiling this area for the majority and it has to stop.
I read the full unabridged article in the Echo on Thursday. I’m not sure what a so called “Dispersal Order” entails but if these orders together with fines stop and discourage Youths congregating in Sweyne Park (and elsewhere) and causing a nuisance and more seriously criminal damage then they should be used more. Why aren’t Police “considering a dispersal order for any of the parks”? Is it not seen as a Policing priority and therefore not cost effective?
DHPW also raises a point of concern, she has been told by Police:- “if groups are building up round Asda they are moved towards the park as it is perceived they can do less damage”.
I would like to know from that Police Officer:-
1) Who is “moving” the groups on? I have never seen a Police Officer around here except from one occasion last year when an Officer knocked on my door making enquiries about a burgalry at a neighbours house in Temple Way!
2) If, by some stroke of magic, it is an actual Police Officer doing the “Moving On” from ASDA is this a recognised Rayleigh Police strategy or just laziness on the Officers part? How often have the Police used this tactic?
The Police should respond to current Anti-socail behaviour and prepare themselves for an increase once the Football pitches on Priory Chase are being used and if CORAL get their planning consent for a Fast Food Outlet…
The Council should respond NOW by:-
1) Making it a condition of ASDA’s drinks licence that they employ full time Security Guards as a meaningful deterrant against Youths Shop-lifting alcohol and anti-social behaviour in the vicinity (including the use by children of the ASDA staff smoking shelter)
2) Locking the Leisure Centre Skate-Park at dusk and installing Movement detecting security lighting in the Skate-Park.
3) Ensuring that the new Football Pitches are locked up securly after the last booking.
4) Locking Sweyne Park between dusk and dawn to prevent it’s abuse.
And last but not least 5) Turning down the CORAL application for 3 shops including a Hot-Food Take-a-way.
Having witnessed ASDA managers chasing thieves towards Sweyne Park (and give up after they reached the Temple Way roundabout) Security Guards might be a good idea, but somehow doubt ASDA will put guards in their store.
The skate board park requires proper management as will the football pitches. I do however disagree with closing Sweyne Park from dusk to dawn for the following reasons:
1. Commuters use the park as a short cut to their homes from the station.
2. Locked gates will not deter a vandal from entering the park, and will probably damage the gates in doing so.
3. With a park the size of Sweyne Park, there is a risk people could be locked in – ensuring the park is empty prior to locking will be a mammoth task.
When I was in my teens, there were things that kept teenagers occupied – Police run disco’s, an array of clubs, Combined Cadet Force and Air Training Corps, as well as Sea Scouts, Adventure Scouts. From my home in Witham, I could get the train easily to either Chelmsford or Braintree for the cinema, or ice skating. What exactly is there in Rayleigh for our youth? The answer is not a lot. If we had facilities for our youngsters, places that entertained, educated and motivated, there wouldn’t be this anti-social behaviour. How can I be sure of this? There wasn’t this problem 25 years ago when I was a teenager, when I was kept occupied, and that was with 5 TV channels, no internet, no Play Stations or Wii etc etc etc.
That all said, until RDC see sense and consider facilities suitable for ALL residents, the Police need to take action, and consider good old fashioned policing – that is pounding a beat and being a visual presence. Does Rayleigh have PCSOs? I have never seen any, but these would be ideal for walking Sweyne Park/ASDA, especially during ASDA opening hours when the problem is exaserbated.
I agree that ASDA are unlikely to do anything voluntarily which is why, if it’s actually possible to do this, it should be made a condition of their drinks licence to employ professional security guards. Their licence should be under regular review so this could be added to the conditions.
ASDA should (but of course won’t be!) pleased to do this to demonstrate how serious they are about tackling anti-social behaviour and alcohol abuse!
I do see your point Cjav but I’ve also lived in area’s were parks of a similar size were locked at night to deter damage. If Youths are determined enough they will always find a way so it is only a deterrent!
Having recently visited the large park in Billericay – which is immaculately kept – it is possible to close public spaces. After all it is a brave commuter who walks through a pitch black Sweyne Park after dark!
I also agree with you that Rayleigh Police should be a lot more visible and accountable.
………… and yet another broken window at the school over the weekend!!!!!
This continued mindless vandalism makes me so angry! No coincidence that St Nicholas School is on the “corridor” between Sweyne Park and the Leisure Centre Skate Park and ASDA!
I hope someone at RDC is listening? Do NOT further exacerbate this problem by allowing CORAL permission to open 3 shops (by all means grant permission for the flats) I’m boring myself by repeating this, but a Takeaway on Priory Chase will only make anti-social behaviour worse because it will encourage kids to congregate for extended periods. It really isn’t rocket science!
I really would be interested to know the views of the school governors about having a Takeaway so close to the primary school? Surely this will attract their pupils at lunchtime? Not good for the promotion of healthy eating? And isn’t likely to promote their school in a positive light if their pupils engage in anti-social behaviour. I know other district councils have turned down planning applications on this basis alone. Is the school planning a response to the application? What is the RDC policy about opening takeaways in close proximity to schools? It should be an automatic bar to opening takeaways etc.
RDC should make amends for previous planning horrors in Priory Chase by immediately locking their council owned Sweyne Park at night and locking their Leisure Centre Skate Park at night. The football pitches MUST also be fenced off and locked at night. There are other sanctions that could be taken against ASDA but these three measures are very easy to achieve and should prove to be cost effective measures in the long run. It’s our taxes that are repeatedly paying for the repairs.
Children at St Nick’s are not permitted off the premises during the day, under normal circumstances, and only released from school under parental (or delegated) supervisio.The issue of any takeaway food place being an issue during or immediately following school hours does not, then, arise, other than if parents sanction it.
Nonetheless, we have worked hard to obtain Healthy Schools status and have been steadily building up our numbers taking home-cooked, healthy, locally-sourced, organic foods each day at school. In the light of this, I suspect that Governors might well want to take a view about the application from Coral.
I shall mention this to Headteacher, Chair and Clerk and see what happens…
Thanks for the prompt, TWR!