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Following consultation with residents
a number of virtually disused and vandalised Play Areas are being removed
from the Magpie Lane area of Morley. The Areas had become a haven for Anti Social Behaviour and Morley Borough Independent Councillors Judith Elliott and Terry Grayshon set about ways of addressing the problem. Councillor Elliott commented " It was quite obvious the local community were being subjected to Anti Social Behaviour by some youths who were targeting these Areas for their unsavoury activities. We asked local people what they wanted and the overwhelming majority wanted some of the Play Areas removing." |
| Ward Colleague Councillor Terry Grayshon
said " It seems a strange state of affairs when youths will vandalise Play
Areas and create havoc in an area, however that is what was happening
here. We wrote to local residents and asked for their views on the
removal of some of the Play Areas. The overwhelming majority wanted
some of them removing so we arranged for this to take place. The
feedback helped us decide a strategy for dealing with the situation which
includes detached Youth Work and extra Patrols from the Police. We
need to provide a suitable response to the problem in the area and this
seems the most suitable and the one most people want." Extra Police patrols now operate in the area together with Youth Service Employees who are going out and advising youths in the area of the Youth Groups and other facilities on offer.. One Play Area will remain which will be regularly maintained and Parks and Countryside staff will carry out other tasks which will further enhance the area. |