AN EARLEY councillor is hoping to help reduce anti-social behaviour in one of the town’s green spaces.
Cllr David Hare is concerned that a shelter in the Earley Event Field off Kilnsea Drive is being used for some “unsavoury behaviour”.
The Liberal Democrat councillor for Hawkedon said that he has spoken with Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Elena Ispas, who is being “very helpful” in finding a solution for the park.
Cllr Hare said that the shelter was built by Earley Town Council, with its proximity to Maiden Place chosen so that police could monitor it easily.
“The use of the shelter has some positive uses, and can be a place where relatives and friends can sit as the children play,” he said.
“But it is also used for anti-social reasons, drug exchange and use being a particular problem, as well as unsavoury language or behaviour.
“The discussion with the police is about how we can make the shelter easier to access so that the police can make it a safer place for most users.”
Cllr Hare said that he does not want something “spoilt” for the majority because of a minority, and said that he has spoken to PCSO Ispas about the site.
He added: “We have some ideas to try out to make the shelter, hopefully, less attractive to anti-social behaviour.”
