'Make some noise' to get action to fight town centre crime
“WE need to make a lot of noise.”
This was the message from a New Milton councillor amid a continuing battle to obtain an enforcement order to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in the town centre.
The town council’s finance and general purposes (F&GP) committee discussed ongoing talks with New Forest District Council about repeated disturbances and drunken disorder involving a small group of around six adults at the northern end of Sta4tion Road.
As reported in the A&T, residents and traders alike have complained of being intimidated by shouting and swearing, as well as shoplifting, drinking, drug use and urinating and defecating in the street. Mallard Court, near Morrisons, is said to be an area where the troublemakers often gather.
A petition calling for action was signed by over 30 businesses in Station Road and nearby Old Milton Road.
The town council wants to secure a public spaces protection order (PSPO) for the high street, along with the nearby recreation ground where disturbances have also been reported.
A PSPO would empower the police to deal with incidents which are having a detrimental effect on the quality of life for those in the community.
For example, although drinking in public would not be outlawed, drunk and disorderly behaviour could result in alcohol being confiscated.
But NFDC’s service manager for housing, community safety and CCTV, Brian Byrne, has called for more evidence of disturbances in order to pursue the order.
This came amid frustration from traders who said they had repeatedly reported incidents over about 18 months with no action taken.
Cllr Geoffrey Blunden told Monday’s F&GP meeting: “From what I understand, New Forest District Council is saying that recording the correct information is the key to solving our anti-social behaviour problems.
“I don’t agree that is the key. The key is to address and solve the issue.
“To use an analogy, we all know that it’s raining, but we can’t go and buy an umbrella to stay dry so we keep going out and getting wet and miserable.”
Arguing the arrangements for a PSPO needed to be progressed, Cllr Blunden branded the current situation of incidents being reported but apparently not recorded “ludicrous”.
He added: “I find it so frustrating that we know things are happening and yet we’re being told there isn’t enough evidence.”
The town council has recently heard complaints that some elderly residents were too afraid to go into the town centre because of the troublemakers.
Staff from the New Milton Conservative Club in Station Road also told the A&T they and guests had been shouted and sworn at, and they had discovered human excrement outside the building.
F&GP members agreed with Cllr Blunden’s suggestion the town council write to NFDC’s cabinet member for communities and leisure, emphasising its belief the PSPO is the effective way to combat the problem.
Also backing the idea, the committee’s acting chairman Cllr Neil Tungate said: “We need to make a lot of noise.”
The Safer New Forest partnership, which consists of groups including Hampshire police and NFDC, was in Station Road during the town’s weekly market on Wednesday to discuss concerns with businesses.
