Residents afraid to report anti-social behaviour
8 minutes ago
OIiver Castle
Local Democracy Reporting Service
More action is needed to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) across South Holland, councillors have warned.
A meeting of the district council's performance monitoring panel on Tuesday heard some residents were too scared to report incidents through fear of repercussions.
It comes after Lincolnshire Police issued dispersal orders in Sutton Bridge and Holbeach in October following reports of anti-social behaviour.
Councillor Michael Booth, who represents Sutton Bridge, said the issue required some "radical thinking".
"We've got youngsters in the village pelting cars as they go by, throwing stones and eggs," he added.
Councillor Margaret Geaney, who represents Donington, Quadring and Gosberton, told the meeting the incidents were making people feel "intimidated and frightened".
Councillor Ingrid Sheard said something needed to change.
She said: "It's falling short. We can keep hammering the same drum, but unless we change something, it's not going to change the situation."
Sheard added officials needed to "come back round the table" and have an "open and honest conversation" about how the issue can be addressed, according tothe Local Democracy Reporting Service.
In response, Dee Bedford, community safety and enforcement manager from the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership, said the authority's approach to dealing with ASB was "data driven", but acknowledged more could be done to improve public confidence.
"I think it's trying to encourage reporting and to make sure it's clear to people how to report," she added.
Insp Paul Smith, from South Holland's neighbourhood policing team, urged people to report their concerns, adding: "The more we get told about it, the more we'll be able to do."
Police previously said they had identified 22 young people in Sutton Bridge and Holbeachsuspected of being involvedin anti-social behaviour.
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