7:10pm Monday 27th November 2000
by LINDA PIPER
SUCCESSORS to the Welling project, which aimed to combat youth disorder, will not succeed without community help.
Anti-social behaviour is beginning to rear its head again in Welling, three months after police and council departments spent four weeks working with young people in the Lovel Avenue area.
A similar project is planned in the New Year for the Sidcup High Street area and Bexley is looking for outside cash to fund similar efforts at the boroughs hot spots.
But Bexley councillors have supported comments on the summer project from Welling vicar David Frith. He says it is not a youth problem, but a community problem with community causes which needs community responses.
We all need to give urgent attention to the life of our local communities.
The Rev Frith, vicar at St Michaels Church, East Wickham, says local people and the council and police have to work together to resolve the problems of anti-social behaviour of some youngsters.
His comments struck a chord with many councillors of all political parties.
Tory June Slaughter told last weeks health, housing and public protection committee: We hear so much about human rights, but little about the responsibilities of the individuals and groups.
Sadly there is a lack of respect for the property and the views of others. Parents must take responsibility for their children; shops must take responsibility not to sell cans of spray paint to youngsters.
Labours Grant Blowers agreed. It is a problem that affects the whole country. It is not something we will solve short-term.
Liberal Democrat Brian Oliver warned that if the problem wasnt resolved, decent people would move out of Bexley and leave it to the troublemakers. Without the community, it will not work.
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thurrockgazette.co.uk