Councillors united in antisocial campaign

May 9 2008 By Graham Fraser

BLANTYRE councillors this week outlined their plans to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime.

Bert Thomson, John McNamee and Jim Handibode announced their intentions a week after an increase in overall police numbers in South Lanarkshire was announced.

Forty-nine officers will be introduced as part of the SNP Government’s pledge to increase police numbers.

South Lanarkshire Council has also agreed to fund 15 new-community based police officers at a cost of £500,000 a year. A further six will be deployed following a Force-wide shake-up. Some of the officers will be assaigned to Blantyre.

Independent Councillor Bert Thomson commented: “I am delighted to see that, after years of campaigning, it looks likely for Blantyre to receive some of these new officers.

“I am sure that, as a result, crime will be reduced throughout the area.

“As a council, we should look at installing CCTV and mobile CCTV in the town as it has been proven to work.”

The award-winning Better Blantyre police initiative in Blantyre, which is set to be integrated into wider police plans across the county within the forthcoming year, managed to reduce disorderly behaviour in the town’s Main Street thanks to a temporary CCTV unit.

Councillor Thomson continued: “I also call on the council’s housing department to continue its work regarding antisocial behaviour and call on the schools to continue to educate children so they don’t commit crime and antisocial behaviour in Blantyre. There is also a need for better training to be given to off-licence staff so under-age people can’t get access to alcohol.”

SNP councillor John McNamee agreed with councillor Thomson on the need for tighter controls of off-licences.

“Tackling antisocial behaviour and crime has to be a multi-platformed approach.

“We have to address all the problems together.

“We need to clamp down on underage sales and punish the rogue grocers who sell alcohol to underagers.

“Blantyre will also benefit from CCTV and mobile CCTV cameras. We need to give the police more tools to tackle crime.”

Councillor Jim Handibode added: “Steve House, the Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police, was encouraged by the work of Better Blantyre.

“Of course, I would always welcome more police officers on the streets and that is one thing I will argue for.

“However, I am encouraged that I have personally not seen people drinking in the streets of Blantyre for a long time.”

A South Lanarkshire Council spokesman said: “There are no plans at present for CCTV in Blantyre, however, the council continues to work in co-operation with the police to tackle issues of antisocial behaviour.”