Lockdown easing leaves residents ‘at wits’ end’ over antisocial behaviour
POLICE TACKLE NUISANCE HOTSPOTS
HUMBERSIDE Police must continue tackling antisocial behaviour which has left residents of an East Riding village “at their wits’ end” as lockdown rules ease, a councillor said.
Cllr Ben Weeks, ward member for Willerby and Kirk Ella, told East Riding Council Public Protection lead Paul Abbott anti-social behaviour had been a “huge problem” across the county.
Cllr Weeks said during a Safer and Stronger Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting that residents sometimes felt the police did not take their concerns on board.
The committee was hearing statements from Mr Abbott and Humberside Police Chief Superintendent Darren Downs on the impact coronavirus has had on crime in the East Riding.
Mr Abbott said the local authority had a tiered system for dealing with antisocial behaviour, which stopped most of those causing nuisance at an early stage. He added council officers had used closure orders in some cases to tackle nuisance addresses due to current rules preventing officials from evicting them.
Chief Supt Downs said police had not been able to tackle every case of antisocial behaviour as around 17,000 complaints over general lockdown violations had been received.
Cllr Weeks said after the meeting, problems began when rules around gatherings in open spaces were relaxed which some took “too far”.
Cllr Weeks said: “When the rules eased there was an emphasis on green spaces as a place where families spend time together. But what we saw is some people taking that a bit too far.
“When we had the really nice weather in June, residents near the King George V playing fields were walking their dogs in the morning and finding empty bottles and cans.
“The trouble comes in waves and other areas have had it far worse.
“But it’s about collaborating and making sure residents and their views are respected.
“We wrote to Chief Constable Lee Freeman to ask for more resources to be put in place and we’re starting to see evidence of that now.