Call for patience in fight against dogging problem (From Thurrock Gazette)

Call for patience in fight against dogging problem

3:00pm Friday 5th October 2012 in News

A COUNCILLOR has urged residents in Bulphan to have “more patience” as Thurrock Council tries to eradicate dogging from their quiet village.

The chairman of the village’s community forum handed in a 300-signature petition at the last full council meeting, urging the authority to take urgent action to stop people meeting up for sex in a quiet disused country lane.

Residents say the unsavoury activities have been going on in a lane near Brentwood Road and Peartree Lane for three years.

At a meeting three months ago, Tory ward councillor Susan Little urged the portfolio holder for public protection, Angie Gaywood, to take action.

Speaking at the latest meeting, community forum chairman David Gilbane said action wasn’t happening quickly enough.

He said: “The problem is that these things have to go through channels and those channels seem to be moving very slowly.

“It’s not a huge petition, but 300 signatures is a large percentage of our village, which should give you an idea of the strength of feeling about this.”

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Gaywood said she had met with residents and the community forum, and has spoken to the landowner about cutting back overgrown hedges to try and ease the problem.

She has urged villagers to give the council any evidence they have of the activities, including dates and times of incidents.

She said: “People must understand the council cannot simply act without real proof of wrong-doing.

“I know it is frustrating, but the council absolutely must follow the correct legal procedures, we must stick to the law.

“If we don’t do that we lay the tax-paying public open to action which could cost us all hundreds of thousands of pounds, as well as undoing any good we may achieve.

“We are working closely with our colleagues in the police. So while it may seem nothing is happening, that is totally wrong.

“I call on the people of Bulphan to have a little more patience and to help provide the evidence we and the police need.”