St Albans residents fight back against vandals and drug-users (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

St Albans residents fight back against vandals and drug-users

12:15pm Monday 15th March 2010 in

By Alex Lewis »

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NEIGHBOURS are fighting back to reclaim a park and play area from vandals, drug users and abusive teenagers.

Children and adults alike have been inhibited from using The New England Street Play Area, universally known as the Brickie, by groups of youths, but now residents have banded together to take action.

At a meeting last week, about 30 people formed Friends of The Brickie, to lobby the district council and police, ensure crime and anti-social behaviour are reported and organise regular clear-ups.

Edgar Hill, of New England Street, said: "I have lived here for two years and it has got progressively worse.

"It isn't just the graffiti, vandalism and the teenagers smoking joints - there's class A drug use as well.

"People using the park get sworn at and on one occasion six or seven cars were keyed.

"Shards of glass have been left on the slide, which is really dangerous."

The meeting was attended by police, but Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate Sandy Walkington said the situation illustrated the problems of dealing with anti-social behaviour, highlighted nationally by the Chief Inspector of Police, Denis O'Connor, on Thursday.

He said: "The PCSO (police community support officer) Caroline Davis is a splendid woman, but you want to clone her ten times. She has got to cover the whole of Verulam ward and Batchwood as well."

He said the introduction of CCTV cameras in the Abbey Orchard had escalated problems at the Brickie by moving trouble-makers from one area to the other.

Mr Hill said: "What the inspector said is absolutely right.

"The problem is that the police don't treat anti-social behaviour as a crime.

"Apparently only one or two instances of criminal damage were logged last year, which is nothing like the true picture."

However, he is optimistic the new group will improve the Brickie.

He said: "Already we've persuaded the council to agree to more litter bins, some planting and clearing the bushes people hide in."

Comments(5)

Vanessa says...
7:25pm Mon 15 Mar 10

I find this story quite heartbreaking as my members of my family have played in The Brickie since the early 1900’s!

I wish this new friends group every success. The police have their part to play but there is so much else that can be done, as mentioned, for example, clearing away hiding places, without losing the character and charm of this green space. This has been done, so I hear, in St Peters Churchyard to great success.

I hope Mr Walkington has a word with his colleagues on the district council as they can actually do something regarding appropriate landscaping. Also friends groups can help attract funding unavailable to councils. I hope Mr Walkington advised residents of this too!

I have had my car keyed and it makes you feel sick in the pit of your stomach. We must reclaim our streets and green spaces from criminals, it can be done and it must be done in this case.