Councillors to visit Oswestry’s ‘weekend war zone’
Tuesday 7th June 2011, 5:30PM BST.
Councillors want to visit Oswestry streets on a Saturday night to probe claims that the centre becomes a “war zone” at weekends.
Oswestry’s taxi drivers are calling for CCTV systems to be fitted in their cabs, claiming they are vulnerable to abuse or attack by customers at weekends.
But the Taxi Drivers’ Association’s claims were refuted by Oswestry’s police inspector who said the town centre was far more peaceful now than a decade ago.
Last night Oswestry town councillors said they wanted to see the situation for themselves.
Councillor Heather Bickerton said: “Would it be a good idea if one or two councillors went out to sit in a car and bring a report back to the council?”
Councillor Martin Bennett said it “would be a good idea”.
Councillor Betty Gull said: “I personally would be interested to see if Oswestry really has changed.”
Mark Higgins, chairman of the taxi association, wrote to Oswestry Town Council requesting help in getting the cameras for cabs as the costs were high.
But Councillor Gull said it was a decision that would have to be taken by Shropshire Council. She said: “We can have a view but we cannot be party to a decision.”
Councillors agreed to ask Inspector Jim Stafford for a chance to see the evening economy in Oswestry.
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What is the problem? if they want CCTV let them install it at their expense, do they expect the council payers to pay. I would like CCTV protecting my house, but I would expect to pay for it not the council tax payers, any way the cost of fares would be increased to more than cover the expense of installation.
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I could install a camera and recording system for £200 per cab, but I bet once the council come in it will end up costing thousands…
Sounds like a group are begging at my door, (as a tax payer), for handouts – if you cant afford to run you rtaxis in the manner you would like then dotn run a taxi is my suggestion.
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where do the councillors live other than cuckoo land. I don’t like going into town on a Saturday and that goes back at least twenty years, although I have been out on the odd occasion with my brother who is actually a councillor, but living in Switzerland does make a big difference so quiet here.
John Cherrington
Lausanne , Suisse
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What a novel idea! Town Councillors actually having a look at their town!
They might learn something. For some, who have been there since time immemorial, it might be surprising that there are cars, cafes, new bookshops. Are they going to sit in a car and watch, or actually walk
” among the people”?
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I think that the council only have themselves to blame, Oswestry is only a small market town with a small number of Police Officers to deal with the drunks at the weekends, Why is it that the council licencing department give all the pubs and nightclubs licences until 4am and even longer? if you look at Shrewsbury which is a much larger town, all their clubs are shut by 2-3am! There isn’t enough police officers to police 1000+ drunks every weekend. Oswestry Licencing Dept, Get into the real world!!!
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