VANDALS have struck in Wokingham town centre overnight.
They have torn out flowers and plants from planters installed in the Erftstadt Court area, leaving the blooms on the pavements.
It is the second time in two years that yobs have damaged the town’s horticultural arrangements.
In August 2020, an indentical attack took place in Elms Field and Howard Palmer Gardens. In this, they ripped up trees as well as ruining plants.
The damage comes weeks after a late-night stabbing for which one man has been charged.
Earlier this month, Wokingham Town Council leader Cllr Imogen Shepherd-Dubey called for a levy to be placed on venues that open after midnight, in a bid to stem anti-social behaviour.
According to Police.uk data, there were 59 violence and sexual offence crimes, 19 anti-social behaviour incidents and reported in Wokingham in December last year.
However, this has been rejected for the moment, ahead of changes to the council’s Public Protection Partnership arrangement – from April 1, it will once again be managed by the council, rather than outsourced to a partnership run by West Berkshire Council.
Under this new scheme, council officers will be on hand to tackle anti-social behaviour even late at night.
