Another dispersal order but public have doubts

POLICE issued yet another dispersal order to deal with anti-social behaviour in Macclesfield centre - but residents have been asking if the tactic has any real effect.

Officers announced on Tuesday, August 24, that the order would be in place for 48 hours because of ongoing trouble in the area.

It is the third such order for the town centre in little over a month following two that came in quick succession at the end of July, covering the area between Hibel Road, the Silk Road, Churchill Way, Park Street and Sunderland Street.

Around the same time another was used in

Poynton.

But repeated use of these has left people wondering whether a tougher approach is needed or one that gets to the root of the issue.

David Ashton said: “Problems don’t get solved by moving them around, you stick a plaster on the problem and make it somebody else’s problem.

“Everybody wants the quick fix these days, because we’re used to an instant world.

“I’m sorry, but there isn’t a quick fix, there’s only the slow option, which is increasing police presence, while working with services to work with the individuals themselves.”

John Williams said: “While I completely disagree with their behaviour, the answer isn’t a dispersal order.

“It’s more money being available for better social care for those in need, to help them out of the situation they find themselves in.”

The order - brought in to tackle ‘ongoing anti-social behaviour in the community’ - means that police tell groups of two or more to leave the area if it was believed they had - or were likely to - commit an offence.

It is then also an offence for anyone instructed to leave to then return within 48 hours.

But after news of the order was revealed on Facebook people wondered if this would just mean the anti-social behaviour took place elsewhere for this period, rather than stop it altogether.

When the orders were issued in July Inspector Gareth Beasley said: “We will not tolerate antisocial behaviour here in Macclesfield and after a recent spike in incidents, we have had to impose a dispersal order.

“Anti-social behaviour can have a devastating impact on our communities and I am determined to ensure that our residents feel safe in their neighbourhoods.”