A county councillor has highlighted anti-social behaviour hotspots in Ventnor.
Councillor Ed Blake, County Hall’s leader of the Conservatives and representative for Ventnor and St Lawrence, told Ventnor Town Council on Monday of disturbances by the High Street’s Tesco ‘particularly late at night’ and squatters in St Lawrence’s empty properties ‘doing all kinds of things’.
The meeting at the town’s Salisbury Gardens also heard from Ventnor Mayor Steve Cooper who spoke of dubious activities overnight on Steephill Down Road.
Cllr Blake said he had asked Hampshire & Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, to visit Ventnor in response to the low-level crime.
Ed said:
“The plan is on the day: hopefully do a shop visit…visit some of the businesses and resident organisations. Hoping that we can have a bit of a Q&A with her as well – have a chance to put to her the problems we’ve got.”
Ventnor town councillor Linda Jefferies said:
“A lot of the problems with the hassle outside of Tesco – the police don’t seem to do anything – they come out, look at the CCTV and then they go.
“People are walking into the shop, picking up booze and walking out with it – something needs to be done.
“Across the road where the seating area is, you need to ban the drinking because that’s where they sit. Today it was horrendous for the family that was trying to have a little picnic up in that little bit of garden because people were urinating in the bushes and everything.”
Cllr Blake added there were not many community spaces in Ventnor and “we need to protect the ones we have got”.
Responding, Sergeant Ben Sharland from the Neighbourhood Policing Team has said:
“We have been carrying out work relating to ASB involving a small number of addresses in Ventnor town centre where the usage of powers such as a Criminal Behaviour Order has assisted.
“In the last four months in Ventnor we have received one report of a public order incident, two assaults, two ASB incidents, three reports relating to alcohol-related ASB, and five shopliftings.
“Four of the shoplifting reports have resulted in an arrest and charge.
“We continue to patrol hotspot areas in Ventnor to address ASB issues and the reports we receive inform where and when these patrols are undertaken.
“We will continue to work with partner agencies including Isle of Wight Council and the Town Council, to identify solutions for ASB and whether a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) or enhanced CCTV could benefit the local community”.
I recall about 20 years ago a superintendent in portsmouth holding a meeting with all the magistrates in the area and basically saying we will arrest all all the troublemakers, drunks and thieves but you have to deal with them appropraitely not let them off with a slapped wrist. crime went through the floor.
Ventnor as a town is finished. Useless council don’t care about it, The local town council is useless, the mayor is a smug and evasive and impossible to contact waste of space, the so called town cryer ( read that as liar ) can’t get basic facts right. Quite frankly, who does care, I don’t think even the locals care much, they are far to busy inside the small bubble they exist in.
You really do live up to your name
So do you. I say it how it is and don’t hide behind a bottle.
And what exactly is that meant to mean?
You don’t say how it is. Just opinions. With an agenda against certain individuals too. Pathetic
It is such a shame you don’t like to hear people
speak the truth.
I suppose you are a fan of the BBC
Lol
You wouldn’t know the truth if it slapped you in the face. Just an over-opinionated, inarticulate gob who has to comment on everything. Sad
I could not have said it better myself.
Ha!what are you talking about…As a town it is finished??!!really I’ve never heard such rubbish!!now the individuals you describe may very well be as you say,As for the locals who cares how busy we are in our own little bubbles these bubbles as you so wittingly(not)call them most certainly dont hinder our dedication to our town,those of us who do have our own businesses are very much on top of it all, extremely hard working and very conscious of eyes like yours looking in and then having to listen to the rubbish you spout.Yes the council may not care which gives even more credit to the locals and volunteers for keeping the town,seafront,shop fronts and gardens looking so appealing to the high number of visitors we as a town are hosting every day.A shame as it may be for Shanklin,Sandown,Newport etc but stepping off the bus returning to Ventnor after visiting any of the previous is like a breath of fresh air(spoken by a middle age couple with children getting off bus yesterday) welcomed with beautiful plants and flowers a bustling high street and busy independent shops,bars and cafes a plenty,now how can you in this cost of living crisis hit country can you call a town described like that as…Finished??!and we apparently exist in a tiny bubble!!!
Not to mention Armada Day, the Fringe, three days of carnival and pirate festival. Amazing place
Bring back Borstals and National service that will stop
the numpties causing anti-social behaviour.
Also bring back the Birch, the UK has become a soft
touch.
And witch dipping! It’s clear you’re having a breakdown
While I do not agree or condone with some of the posts there can be no doubt that the liberalisation of penalties for poor and criminal behaviour has gone far to far in the worng direction, if all these people who appear weekly at court are receiving community punishments why are our towns still looking like open rubbish tips, why are they not tasked to clear them up, or does that infringe on their human rights..
Many, many reasons.
Breakdown, sure it is not you.
Glad to see you are still taking notice of my
honest comments.
Taking notice? Yes, like one does with an irritating spot
I’m not sure that your latest political hero, Jezza Corbyn, would support you on this one!
It might help if the shops tried, perhaps put the till at the entrance / exit of the shop.
If they are taking away alcohol and not paying for it then stop selling it.
It’s life’s losers who choose this lifestyle a certain breed of drugged up chavs who want everything given to them on a plate, & who are not interested in making anything of themselves as they were dragged up & have no pride or manners.
The drugged up chavs HAVE everything given to them on a plate – by VTC.
Easy solution, stop selling alcohol..