Minister
for Justice, Cathy Jamieson was in the Three Towns on official business this
week, at the invitation of her Scottish Executive colleague and local MSP
Allan Wilson, to meet local people as part of the ongoing consultation on
the Scottish Executive's proposed Anti-Social Behaviour Bill.
The Minister and her officials met residents in the New England Road area of
Saltcoats and community representatives from Saltcoats and Ardrossan and
later discussed the bill with Allan Wilson MSP, local councillor Sam Taylor,
North Ayrshire Council Housing officers and youth workers, new Chief
Inspector Harry Young and North Saltcoats Community PC, Derek Skinner of
Strathclyde Police, and Deirdre Oakley in her Saltcoats Neighbourhood Access
Project (SNAP) premises in Wheatley Road.
Speaking at the SNAP community centre, Mrs Jamieson said, "the Executive
have placed an Anti-Social Behaviour Bill at the heart of our 2003/04
legislative programme. We set out our strategy for tackling anti-social
behaviour in a consultation paper, "Putting Our Communities First" which we
published in June."
"The Consultation Paper proposes a wide range of measures to tackle
anti-social behaviour that would have implications for a range of services
including the police, housing, social work, education and environmental
health, all designed to build safe, secure and attractive communities and
prevent the type of activity we've seen in the Three Towns and elsewhere
impinging on the quality of life of every body in the community."
"Today was all about my listening to those residents and those with local
responsibility for dealing with the residents complaints and incorporating
their experiences into our thinking" said Mrs Jamieson.
Local MSP Allan Wilson said, "From the early results of the public
consultation in this area and my own discussions today with residents and
the owners of commercial premises in the New England Road area of Saltcoats
and the Lawson Drive area of Ardrossan, I was able to give the Minister an
indication of the sort of measures people in the Three Towns want to see
included in the new legislation" said Mr Wilson.
"Obviously being a local resident herself, from Stevenston, the Minister is
familiar with local issues but a number of the initiatives being taken by
the police and the Council to combat anti-social behaviour here are worthy
of wider application across Scotland" said Mr Wilson.
"Equally, some schemes such as the introduction of mobile CCTV units,
presently being piloted in Glasgow would be of benefit locally in cracking
down on and convicting those responsible for youth disorder, under age
drinking, vandalism, graffiti and other forms of anti-social behaviour in
the communities of North Ayrshire" said Mr Wilson.
Councillor Sam Taylor said "Today's exercise in community consultation was
particularly useful in that it enabled local residents to get their point of
view across to Council officers, the new Chief Inspector of Police and high
ranking civil servants and also helped reassure them that their concerns
about their community are being addressed at the highest levels of the
Scottish Executive".
New Chief Inspector Harry Young said, "It was good to get out and hear the
complaints of local residents and give them my commitment to making their
lives better by tackling the scourge of anti-social behaviour in their
community".
Any community groups or individuals who wish to participate in the
consultation are advised to get a copy of the form from Allan Wilson MSP at
55 Hamilton Street, Saltcoats or telephone 01204 605040 and a form will be
sent out to you. |
