Give young people somewhere to go say Councillors in response to growing Friday night problems

7.18.53pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 16th Oct 2006

Paul Elgood and David Watkins in Palmeira Square

Over 50 young people gathered in Palmeira Square, Adelaide Crescent and on Hove seafront on Friday night, causing significant amounts of disturbances to local people.

The issue has been occurring over the last few Friday nights, with similar problems at weekends at the Peace Statue and along Hove seafront throughout the summer.

Brunswick & Adelaide Liberal Democrat Councillors Paul Elgood and David Watkins attended the scene on Friday night and are demanding action from the Police and Council to tackle the issue.

Over the last three Friday nights vandalism and criminal damage has been reported by residents, with large number of young people using the area to hang out.

On Friday the Police agreed to make the area a priority and had two Police Community Support Officers waiting to deal with the issue, however, the shear number of young people involved meant that the response given was inadequate. By 10pm 50 youths had gathered with under aged drinking, smoking and making a disturbance. The next morning the area was littered with rubbish and graffiti.

Councillor Paul Elgood said: 'For the third Friday running we have had large groups of young people literally in Palmeira Square, Adelaide Crescent and onto the seafront. Things got totally out of control by 10pm on Friday.

'The Police have been supportive of the problem but the numbers of people involved overwhelmed them.

'The problem is that these young people just don't have any where else to go and so gather in large groups, when things get out of hand. The Council must be doing more to offer them positive alternatives and somewhere to go.

'We are supportive of these young people, who clearly don't mean serious harm, but things now have gone too far.'

Councillor David Watkins said: 'This is a nightmare for residents. We are demanding urgent action before the problems becomes any more serious. We will continue discussions with both the Police and Council as to how this problem can be properly tackled. We are also asking local shops not to sell alcohol to young people and will be talking to the Council's offering those involved somewhere else to go at night.'