The introduction of an 8ft high gate, new CCTV cameras, and more police patrols were among the options put forward when Burnham-On-Sea’s MP visited the town on Saturday (February 24th) to discuss ways to tackle vandalism along a street plagued with problems.
David Heathcoat-Amory was in town to meet residents of South Street, which has suffered several violent late night vandalism incidents during recent weeks which residents believe is being caused by late drinkers walking from seafront pubs to the High Street.
Ironically, the MP’s visit came just hours after more problems on Friday night when noisy youths woke residents along the street.
Residents want a solution put forward to tackle the issues. The visit came after Burnham-On-Sea.com exclusively reported earlier this month about problems along the street.
The MP was presented with a petition from residents who are keen to find a solution to the problems of rowdiness caused by late night drinkers apparently using the road as a cut-through from pubs on the seafront to the High Street.
Mr Heathcoat-Amory told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We’ve got to get to grip with this. It’s not necessarily crimes being committed but it’s vandalism, it’s noise, it’s after-hours drinking, it’s broken bottles and glass and so on, abuse and people urinating against peoples’ walls and houses.”
“It’s got to stop so we have everybody working on this – we’ve got the police down here to look at it, we’ve got Sedgemoor council who are going to help and I am going to help by writing to Sedgemoor. There’s the possibility of a camera, a gate to restrict access, more police visits.”
“There’s no single solution but we’re all determined to crack this one because there’s no doubt about it – the standard of life and ordinary behaviour of the people here is being degraded by what’s happening so we’ve got to crack this one because this is what people mind about. It’s their neighbourhood and we’ve got to look after it.”
Val Carter of the South Street Neighbourhood Watch said: “I was pleased with the meeting this morning. We were really pleased with the decisions that have been made and the co-operation with everybody and we hope it can be implemented to give everyone a securer, quieter life.”
District councillor Arthur Thorogood, who helped to organise the MP’s visit, added that he was pleased with how the event had gone and hoped it would lead to positive changes for the street.
RELATED LINKS:
South Street residents to present petition to MP and councils
MP set to visit trouble-hit South Street in Burnham-On-Sea
