Pictures prompt play area policing review

Published on 26th April 2007 in News

The system for policing play areas in Goole and tackling the problems of litter and vandalism needs to be reviewed, Goole town councillors have agreed.

Two weeks ago we featured pictures of the play area at the end of Malvern Road after a disgusted resident complained about the amount of broken glass, litter and general anti-social behaviour that he found there.

Cllr Jean Kitchen had asked for the item to be placed on the agenda of Monday's Goole Town Council (GTC) meeting and told councillors: "We don't have a warden for this park.

"There needs to be a complete review of how we police our parks."

It was agreed that one of the biggest problems was rubbish being thrown in to the play area from the railway bridge.

Putting some kind of cover over the bridge had been suggested when the play area was first created but there were problems with the bridge supporting the weight of a cover.

Another problem is the state of the play equipment and, at the meeting, Cllr Keith Tether offered to repaint it.

After the meeting, town clerk Brian Robertson explained that the tenants' association who originally applied for the funding for the play area was in the process of disbanding as its members no longer had a part to play.

The maintenance is the responsibility of GTC.

Mr Robertson said the play area was visited almost on a daily basis. On a recent visit, three and a half bin bags had been filled with glass.

He also stressed that the play area policing system would be reviewed.

If the funding can be secured, Goole is due to receive community wardens who Nigel Brignall, manager of the East Riding's Anti-Social Behaviour Team, has said could deal with the problems.