Labour Councillors call for action to sort out under-age drinking problems on Coleridge Rec

11 February 2008

Local Labour councillors are concerned about anti-social behaviour in our parks and open spaces and respond to residents call for a local park to be locked at night to prevent groups of up to 60 young people gathering there at weekends to drink and take drugs.

Residents met police community support officers, a Council official and Coleridge Labour Councillors at a public meeting last Thursday (7 February) to discuss teenage drinking and anti-social behaviour in and around Coleridge Recreation ground in Cambridge . Residents especially along Davy Road have complained of rowdy youths causing disturbances and intimidating passers-by.

Cllr Tariq Sadiq, who organised the meeting at St. Martin 's Church on Suez Road, said:

"People have told me about the growing level of anti-social behaviour particularly centred around the Rec. and of cans and broken bottles littering the grass. I organised this meeting to give local people a chance to talk directly to the PCSOs who are on the frontline and are working very hard to tackle the problem".

Residents were alarmed that under-age children were able to buy alcohol so easily. PCSO Michael Stribling reported that a further crackdown on shops selling alcohol to minors was planned and encouraged residents to get in touch if they had any information about this.

In an E-Cops email bulletin, PCSO Stribling said that more patrols were being made around the Rec. and "a substantial amount of alcohol was confiscated from under age young people, both boys and girls".

Labour's Parliamentary Spokesperson, Daniel Zeichner, who was at the meeting said:

"The Government is very concerned about alcohol abuse and will give police extra powers to confiscate alcohol from under-18s who are found to be drinking in public".

The Council working with the Police can already issue voluntary Acceptable Behaviour Contracts to kids and parents and can also apply for Parenting Orders through the courts to address parental responsibility.

Residents also complained that street drinkers had reappeared on Mill Road near the former John Lewis site despite the Dispersal Order issued by the City Council. They felt intimidated and unable to use a bus stop because of this. Cllr Jeremy Benstead called for a Designated Public Places Order which would prevent drinkers from moving from one place to another. He said:

"The only measure that makes sense is a city-wide alcohol ban which would prevent street drinkers from moving from one part of the City to another to avoid the Dispersal Order. The Liberal Democrats have failed to tackle this problem and refuse to use all the powers that the Government has given them".

Councillor Sadiq said:

"I can understand calls to lock Coleridge Rec. at night but it is a public space and it would be unfair to prevent people who legitimately want to use the Rec. for jogging or dog walking for example from being able to access it. We have to work together with the Police and the City Council to tackle this problem through enforcement and prevention. Parents have a huge responsibility to make sure they know what their kids are up to and to prevent them from getting hold of alcohol".

"If you have any information which might help the police, please contact them on 0845 456 456 4".

Cllr Tariq Sadiq
tariqsadiq@btinternet.com
07976 789 006