URINE lined the streets while broken bottles were left scattered across Old Leigh following yet another night of chaos for the town. Leigh councillor Carole Mulroney is now calling for a dispersal order to be put in place every weekend throughout the summer, covering the town from Friday to Sunday along with bank holiday Mondays. It’s hoped the move will deter the repeated onslaught suffered by the community with Leigh having been plagued with gang fights, drug dealing and drunken youths causing mayhem. It comes after yet another dispersal zone was imposed in Leigh Old Town following anti-social behaviour and people refusing to leave the area.
It gives officers powers to move anyone believed to be behaving anti-socially from the area. The dispersal order covers the area bounded by Old Leigh High Street and Seawall, Belton Bridge to dead end of Leigh High Street past Bell Wharf up to St Clements Church West to end of Leigh Park Road. Last week, Tory Essex crime commissioner Roger Hirst visited the Old Town in the wake of a catalogue of incidents which have blighted residents lives. Ron Sverdloff, who lives in the town, is adamant an alcohol-free zone is the only way to solve the growing issues endured by families.
It gives officers powers to move anyone believed to be behaving anti-socially from the area. The dispersal order covers the area bounded by Old Leigh High Street and Seawall, Belton Bridge to dead end of Leigh High Street past Bell Wharf up to St Clements Church West to end of Leigh Park Road. Last week, Tory Essex crime commissioner Roger Hirst visited the Old Town in the wake of a catalogue of incidents which have blighted residents lives. Ron Sverdloff, who lives in the town, is adamant an alcohol-free zone is the only way to solve the growing issues endured by families.
“They’ve worked elsewhere across the county. “The real problems are street drinking, drug dealing, and underage drinking. “A protection order would also really help the situation.” A public space protection order is under consultation which would give additional powers to crack down on anti-social behaviour. Sarah Welton, the owner of Sarah’s Tea Gardens in the town, who attended the talks with Mr Hirst, said: “A pubwatch will definitely help, but half the problem is there isn’t enough police. “There’s no point us reporting the problems to the police and then they don’t get here quick enough.