Shutting out bad behaviour

An area that is a focal point for anti-social behaviour is to be permanently gated off.

Residents on Whitewater Road and Birklands Avenue, Ollerton, have been plagued by yobs who gather in the alleyway that runs between the two roads.

It was agreed at Nottinghamshire County Council’s Rights of Way Committee yesterday to permanently gate it off in an attempt to stop the problems.

Numerous incidents of anti-social behaviour by youths who gather in the alley to drink and smoke have been reported to police, many of which have involved damage to property.

One resident had a fence set on fire, another had their car damaged and a third had their front door kicked through.

There were also incidents of windows and conservatories being smashed, foul language, graffiti, egg throwing and littering.

Some complainants told police they had been threatened and were scared to go out.

One householder said he and his family were seriously considering moving to escape the problems.

In their application for a gating order, the police said they had tried numerous tactics to try to get on top of the anti-social behaviour, but with limited success.

Intensive patrols resulted in a short-term reduction in bad behaviour, but it returned as soon as policing levels reverted to normal.

Other tactics included plain clothes patrols and use of a decoy patrol car.

The application said a 24/7 restriction was the only workable one because the problems occur over a wide range of times.

It said the closure would have a minimal impact on access, with around 250 yards added to some residential routes, and many residents did not use the alleyway anyway.

The police are also in discussions with Ollerton and Boughton Town Council to put a gate on another area of recreational land to help prevent anti-social behaviour.

Residents on Poplar Street have had problems with youths using a small area of parkland behind their homes and jumping into their gardens.

The beat officer for Ollerton, Pc Colin Oakley, said the force was talking to the council about gating the area and only allowing access at certain times.

He said: “Sometimes people play football there and the ball often goes into people’s gardens, and the players can be less than considerate in retrieving it.

“It can attract groups of people who hang around drinking as well. What it really needs is a perimeter fence to separate it from the houses, but that would cost thousands so the gate is an option we are looking at.

“We did a similar thing at the children’s play area around 18 months ago, which was quite successful.”

He said Ollerton Library, on Forest Road, had been advised to put fences up to prevent youths climbing on the roof.

“There was a phase when some young people decided climbing on the roof was a form of entertainment,” he said.