Call for £20m fund to tackle antisocial behaviour

18 hours ago

Lindsey AlderBBC Hereford and Worcester

News image — Local resident Eve Lindley called for a focus on tackling drug addiction

BBC A white haired woman in a green coat is standing on the pavement next to a car park with multiple cars and silver bollards. — Local resident Eve Lindley called for a focus on tackling drug addiction

There have been calls for £20m in government funding for Worcester to be used to tackle antisocial behaviour.

Warndon West, known locally as Old Warndon, has been chosen to take part in the Pride in Place programme, targeted at "overlooked" parts of the country, with the aim of improving high streets, parks and public spaces.

A board is due to be set up by June, which will decide how the money will be spent over the 10-year period.

Local people told the BBC that tackling drug dealing and giving young people a place to go in the community should be among the priorities.

Ivor Bellingham, who lives in the area, said: "I feel sorry for the children, the trouble is with children round here, at a certain age, they just go and wreck it, which is sad. [They need] a youth centre maybe, to keep them occupied."

Eve Lindley volunteers at a local church, which hosts a group dealing with addiction.

She said: "I'm very worried about addiction levels, it is a serious problem especially for youngsters. So I would like to see more vigilance over drug dealing in the area."

A white haired man sits on a mobility scooter in a t-shirt and hooded jumper, in front of a row of houses, one of which has a white caravan parked out front. — Ivor Bellingham said he would like to see more facilities for young people

Another woman said the money needed to tackle the real issues on the street, like drug addiction, rather than the problems on councillors' agendas.

There was also an overriding message from Warndon West that people who live and work in the area needed to be involved in the decision making about where the money was spent.

The Neighbourhood Board that will decide priorities is expected to be set up by June and will be chaired by the MP for Worcester Tom Collins.

"It's about putting power back in the hands of people in Warndon, in order to build the things that move power into their hands permanently," he said.

A white car, which has been burnt out, is parked on the pavement in this picture taken on a road in Warndon West. Along the left hand side is a row of houses and gardens, — A burnt-out car sits on a road in Warndon West

Worcester City Council said once the board was established, it would create a regeneration plan and drop surveys into households in Warndon to help shape the plan.

The Birchen Coppice area of Kidderminster, Greenlands in Redditch and Hereford South West were also among the 335 communities across the UK chosen as part of the Pride in Place scheme.

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