Some of the play equipment in Sweyne Park was set on fire last night.
This is really really depressing and we will write in more detail when we have some feedback from the District Council.
Some of the play equipment in Sweyne Park was set on fire last night.
This is really really depressing and we will write in more detail when we have some feedback from the District Council.
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We have a small group of mindless yobs in the area at the moment hell bent on causing problems. This latest incident follows on from damage to cars in Downhall Park Way and Priory Crescent a few weeks back. Worryingly this goes way beyond the usual low level yoof nuisance that we get from time to time. Lets hope Rayleigh police are putting in the time and resources to catch them. I urge anybody who see’s anything going on to call the Police asap.
Unfortunately lately there has been more and more older teenagers congregating in the park, and car park lately. They use the car park as a wheel spinning racetrack for their cars and smoke dope. Sometimes the smell of cannabis coming from the park is so over powering that I have to shut all the house windows.
I do not understand why this car park cannot be closed off at night with a barrier this would at least solve this problem. The problem with the park is far trickier, surely the cost of cctv would pay for its self rather than having to continually pay to have the park repaired. I appreciate that there is no budget for this but what about getting the local business’s to help, Asda, Virgin gym etc
The trouble is, its off the beaten track so the Police rarely make a drive by unless there has been a complaint.
I wish there was an easy solution but this cannot continue!
Pest Control,
If you suspect drug taking or ASB taking place have you personally called the police ?
Yes, The Mighty Oz I call them all the time. If I am lucky a patrol car turns up within 3 hours. If I am not lucky then nothing happens.
Pest Control,
In that case it looks like we are being failed completely by our Police Service. This latest incident is the last straw and action MUST now take place to put a stop to it.
Maybe our new Police Commisioner should get involved, maybe he can get our local police to put the effort and resources in to catch the criminals responsible.
Before anyone screams at me I am not for one moment defending drug taking, criminal damage or other anti social behaviour. However, what is there for the youth of the area to do round here? No cinema, no ice rink, no roller rink, not even a late night cafe with a couple of pool tables and a juke box where they can hang around. Whenever they congregate in an area someone will complain about noise or something, call the Police and have them moved on. I would guess many are either unemployed or if working on a pretty low wage so don’t have the financial resources to go into Basildon or Southend or Chelmsford where there is more entertainment. Rayleigh has clubs yes, but I doubt if they either want to or can afford to go clubbing every night (Don’t even know if they clubs are open every night). There is no dance hall, no what in my youth was called a youth club.
Yes, the Police should be making every effort to find those responsible for this damage and they should definitely be responding to 999 calls, but while looking at this why not look at provision for youth in the area at the same time. It won’t work for all of them, there will always be trouble makers, there always have been, but if something could take 90% of them off the streets and give them somewhere comfortable and welcoming to go with something to do that interested them (apart from drinking or smoking illegal substances) then it might start to at least chip away at the problem.
So Christine,
“Whenever they congregate in an area someone will complain about noise or something, call the Police and have them moved on”
I look forward to your campaign to have a car park and youth facility opposite your house, lets see how long it is before YOU decide it’s not such a good idea.
By the way, I’m not screaming, just sick and tired of these yobs.
Christine,
I find it very hard to subscribe to what you are saying. This generation of youth has been given the most by far than any other generation it has preceded. There are clubs for them to go to i.e. youth clubs, scout groups which cost nothing.There is a skate park just round the corner, there is also another at george v playing park. There is a roller rink in nearby rochford just 2 train stops away which again will not break the bank. They can afford to drive their cars, fill them with fuel and buy illegal substances, so they are not that hard up. There are sports centres in Hawkwell, Rayleigh, Basildon where they can swim, play ball games etc There is a bowling alley in Hockley and pool tables. I am only 40 and I can say that these type of resources were not available to me as a child. I think there are to many excuses being made for what is yob culture! There are hundreds of youths out there who are respectful and genuinely nice people but it is a small minority who just don’t give a damn regardless of what you give them!
Pest Control,
You are spot on. I have just looked at the web site for the Essex Police Commissioner, it states that Essex Police will focus on, among others:
•Ensuring local solutions meet local problems.
This is clearly not happening in this case is it.
http://www.essex.pcc.police.uk/income-and-expenditure/