A SPATE of anti-social behaviour in one Gwent town was “some of the worst” an official charged with tackling the problem had seen in 20 years.
That included pregnant women and people with serious illnesses being abused as they attended their local doctor’s surgery.
The abuses were one of a number of flashpoints around unruly behaviour across Torfaen during the past year.
Blaenavon was identified as a “key hot spot” area for anti-social behaviour which Torfaen Borough Council’s Safer Torfaen community safety partnership identified as requiring a targeted approach.
As a result it has used funding from the Home Office to allow the town’s Hwb youth centre to open an extra night every week, with the Thursday opening to remain in place until March.
Other projects have included sports sessions, extra activities during the summer by different youth services working together and officers from Safer Torfaen working directly with young people at the town’s Resource Centre which is also the medical centre, and being on hand to discuss concerns with the public.
Unaccompanied children under 16 were also prevented from attending the Resource Centre unless they had an appointment.
Safer Torfaen also issued 21 warning letters to parents and as a result five children were placed on voluntary acceptable behaviour contracts while two court orders were granted, in April, and those haven’t been breached.
The three “most problematic” youths were also provided with one to one mentoring and there have been no further issues while nine separate meetings were held with parents and the council said it has had a “child centred approach” to support families with “complex needs”.
CCTV cameras were also used in the area
Catherine Jones, the council’s community safety lead, told members of its adults and communities scrutiny committee there had been an increase in anti-social behaviour in Blaenavon reported to the police by businesses and residents.
She said: “It was some of the worst I’ve seen in my 20 years in community safety. Vulnerable people were being targeted by groups of young people at the surgery. Pregnant women and people who were receiving serious diagnoses at the doctors were coming out and being abused.”
Blaenavon independent councillor Nick Horler said anti-social behaviour had reduced as a result of actions taken.
Kate Williams, the council’s public services manager, acknowledged “funding is always a risk” when asked about the possibility of it being withdrawn and said while it has used from the police and crime commissioner and the UK and Welsh governments it isn’t long term.
She said as a result it always plans “exit strategies” as “the last thing we want is for a young person to be reliant on a service we take away from them.”
Pontypool town centre and Cwmbran were also highlighted as areas impacted by anti-social behaviour in the past year.
Inspector Lee Stachow, of Gwent Police, said police don’t want to prosecute youngsters and said: “In the first instance we would look at what interventions we can put in place to stop this behaviour and ultimately we want to try and stop offending further down the line.
“I think Pontypool is a really good example of partnership working and working well together.”