Dear Sir,
I read the article in the Newton News regarding the recent spate of vandalism in the newly refurbished town centre.
I’m sure a lot of readers, like myself could have predicted this would happen as the area lends itself to becoming a new skate park with the concrete benches being used as obstacles by youths on skateboards, bikes etc. Whether the damage is deliberate or accidental is matterless.
The whole town now knows that CCTV in the town centre is not working which will inevitably attract more people at night as there is no deterrent whatsoever.
We know the town centre is privately owned by Freshwater. and they employ security staff there. However, the patrols seem to wander around in pairs doing, what is anyone’s guess really. They work, I understand, between 9am and 3pm! Perhaps to assist in combating the problems in the town centre Freshwater could consider a redeployment of these patrols?
One could work days and the other work at night, finishing at 9 or 10pm therefore providing some form of deterrent to prevent further damage.
A recent report mentioned damage to the value of £11,000. Surely the cost of employing to provide such a patrol would cost nowhere near that. And, if this did not suit the present supplier of security then there are plenty of other companies out there that would jump at the chance.
Steve Wild