Call for actions to stamp out church yard yobs in Ashford
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Chris Cooper, left. and Jeremy Adby
Yobs urinating, being sick and smashing windows were just
some of the problems discussed at a meeting of Churchyard residents
in Ashford.
People living around St Mary’s parish church were invited to a
public meeting by Ashford council to discuss how best to deal with
the problems that have blighted their lives.
Police revealed that over the course of 2010, 23 calls were made
by residents living in and around Churchyard complaining of
anti-social behaviour by drunken yobs.
In the town centre as a whole 149 calls have been made so far
this year.
Resident Jeremy Adby, who has lived in Churchyard for 15 years,
said: “There’s all sorts going on and now there’s even drug
dealing.
“We’ve had broken windows, smashed up bottles on the streets and
things are definitely getting worse around here.”
He added: “It isn’t just at the weekend, this can happen on a
Monday or a Tuesday and there’s problems right through until 4am in
the morning.”
This month alone seven calls have been made to police about
people banging on doors and windows, urinating in the Churchyard
Passage and being sick on the streets.
At the meeting, organised by Cllr Michael Claughton, Ashford
council’s community safety boss, a mother spoke of how she had to
dodge smashed bottles with her five-year-old child.
Residents argued that the main problem with the Churchyard is
that it is used by revellers as a shortcut to get from the high
street to the nightclub and then later to return to the high street
to get cash or catch taxis.
Ashford council chief executive John Bunnett said that the best
option to begin with was to install more lighting to brighten the
area and deter troublemakers.
Resident and St Mary’s bellringer Chris Cooper suggested gating off
the passage with a code for residents to stop the area being used
as a shortcut.
He said: “The CCTV has very little coverage and I believe gating
off the passage will cut the problem out altogether.
“If people know they can’t get through they’ll find another way
to go.”
The option of using the old floodlights around the church to
brighten the surrounding areas was also suggested and St Mary’s
priest Colin Preece said it could be done.
Hopes of moving CCTV cameras were scuppered when it was revealed
it could cost up to £7,000, although if lighting does not prove to
be a successful deterrent, moving the CCTV to cover a wider area
will be looked at.
If the problems continue, gating may also be an option for Kent
County Council.
Friday, March 19 2010
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