Joint effort to solve town's yob problem (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Joint effort to solve town's yob problem

SHIPSTON civic leaders are coming together to find new solutions to problems caused by young troublemakers in the town.

Already plans are on the table for a temporary drop-in centre - dubbed the pod - which could be in place within months.

Former mayor Penny White said interested parties including the police, the town's Rotary Club, the town council, church leaders, Drugs Action Shipston, the regeneration group Stour Power and business leaders were all coming together to tackle anti-social behaviour in the town.

The new forum is due to meet on Monday.

"We felt that if we got the community together then between us all we would be able to do something."

The decision to form the group was in response to a number of incidents involving a small group of youngsters in the town that have included vandalism and yobbish behaviour.

Mrs White said the need to create facilities for the town's young people was even more important now police had powers to disperse groups of youngsters.

"With the new powers that the police have got to move on youngsters it is important that they have somewhere to go - keeping on moving them from A to B will just cause resentment."

The search is now on for a central location to install the temporary pod. The town's youth worker, Matt Brown, said: "I would like to see somewhere that young people can just go in the evenings where they won't be judged and can get a hot or cold drink - primarily a place they can go to instead of the streets."

Among the possible locations for a permanent youth centre is the town's old swimming pool.

The future of the facility will be discussed at a meeting at Shipston High School tonight.

Anyone with suggestions for the new youth group can call the town council offices on 01608 662180.