Shrewsbury police pledge crackdown using new anti-social behaviour powers

Officers will be enforcing the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, announced by Government this week.

A £20,000 budget from The Department For Communities and Local Government will be used to fund the move.

At the top of the hit list of problems to solve are begging and rough sleeping. Drug and alcohol misuse in public places will also be tackled.

The Our Place programme will involve West Mercia Police, Shrewsbury Town Council, Shropshire County council, street pastors, pub and shop watch schemes and street cleaners.

Inconsiderate driving and cycling will be also be tackled.

Officers will work with partners including Shrewsbury Town Council, Shropshire Council, street pastors, pub and shop watch schemes and street cleaners.

Tom Brettell, community enablement officer at Shropshire Council, updated a meeting of the Severn Loop Local Joint Committee on the project's progress.

He said: "The main issues are inappropriate car driving and cycling, misuse of drugs in public places, misuse of alcohol and drugs in the nightlife scene and begging.

"We have £20,000 to develop an operational strategy into how we are going to tackle these issues. It also entitles us to some expert legal assistance.

"New powers have come into being in terms of anti-social behaviour and we are very much at the forefront of that."

Sergeant Richard Coles, of West Mercia Police, told the meeting at the Guildhall: "It will mean we should be able to get on top of the issues straightaway as they arise.

"The issues at the forefront of people's minds are begging, busking and rough sleeping. We are making progress on that. Our position starts off as one of compassion and we will do all we can to help people get off the streets. But there comes a point when we have to enforce and we are at that point with one or two people now."

Graham Preece, safer neighbourhoods inspector, said: "We have been planning with a host of partners a way of doing things more effectively . . . to really smash through that boundary of 'that's not my department' to work together to address the concerns people have about antisocial behaviour. It's about making Shrewsbury a safer and more welcoming place."