Chief Constable attends anti-social behaviour zone

Date published: 17 August 2010

Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Peter Fahy is to put up the final notice informing Ashton residents of an anti-social behaviour exclusion zone.

Millennium Green in Ashton-under-Lyne has had ongoing problems with anti-social behaviour including people gathering to use illegal drugs and engaging in drunken behaviour.

The area of public land includes a children’s playground and is bordered by a pre-school nursery, housing and local shops.

In response to residents’ concerns the local neighbourhood policing team working with Tameside Council and applied for a Dispersal Notice.

The Dispersal Notice comes into affect on Friday 20 August and will last for three months. It will give police the powers to disperse groups of two or more people between the hours of 9am and 4pm whose behaviour is likely to cause alarm or distress.

The notice requires people to leave the area and not return within a 24-hour period and also permits officers to return young people under 16 years old to their home address between 9pm and 6am.

If individuals do not follow the notice they can be fined up to £2,500 or can face up to three months in jail or both.

Chief Constable Peter Fahy said: “Neighbourhood officers have been working closely with the council and representatives of the local community through their Partners And Communities Together (PACT) meetings to agree a solution to the issues of ongoing anti-social behaviour in this area. This is a good example of local people and neighbourhood policing working together. It's all about listening to communities and addressing the issues that concern them the most.

"Tackling anti-social behaviour is a Force priority and this demonstrates our commitment to listening to people's concerns, acting on them and, together with the local authority and community themselves, agreeing an appropriate course of action to resolve the problem."

The Millennium Green area attracts drug-users and drinking as they can go relatively undisturbed. However this behaviour can be extremely distressing for those people living and working nearby.

There is a playground and nursery close to where these people congregate and parents with children find them very intimidating. Used needles have been found in the area and people have been seen urinating and fighting. There have also been incidents of public indecency.

St Peter’s ward member Cllr Warren Bray said: “This is another great example of our neighbourhood policing team working together with the local community to tackle anti-social behaviour. Tameside Council will not tolerate any anti social-behaviour in the borough, and our community safety team will continue to work closely with the Police and our other partners to keep our communities safe. This type of enforcement gives a clear message to the offenders that this behaviour is totally unacceptable and reassurance to the neighbourhood that firm action will be taken.”