Millbrook: Calls for youth facilities to cut anti-social behaviour

Residents have complained about increasing incidents of anti-social behaviour on the Millbrook Estate

Better facilities for young people are needed to cut anti-social behaviour at a housing estate, residents have said.

People living on the Millbrook Estate in Southampton have complained that thefts from cars, assaults and illegal motorbike riding have "spiked" in the school holidays.

Campaigner Kathi Iason said young people needed "somewhere to go".

The city council said it was spending £500,000 to deal with anti-social behaviour in the city.

Ms Iason who helped set up the Millbrook Matters social media group said the estate had been "a free-for-all" since lockdown restrictions eased.

"There is car theft, smash and grabs, illegal motorbike riding and kids with catapults," she said.

"There has been a spike during the school holidays.

She added it went quiet during the start of the lockdowns "but then being indoors got too boring for them so the trouble started".

'Meet safely'

Although a community garden has been created, with residents encouraged to take their children, plans for a youth club were held up because of the pandemic.

Ms Iason believes such a facility would have a "huge impact".

"It would give them somewhere to go and meet their friends safely - many are afraid to walk home through the estate in case they get robbed for their phones," she added.

Local councillor and deputy leader of Southampton City Council, Jeremy Moulton, promised "new initiatives" following a meeting with residents.

"The new Conservative Council is determined to help tackle anti-social behaviour and in particular illegal and dangerous motorcycle riding which plagues Millbrook and other areas of the city," he said.

"In July we created a new £500,000 Community Fund to support youth and sporting activities and to help community groups and neighbourhood watches tackle anti-social behaviour."

Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones said she was setting up a new anti-social behaviour "task-force" that would "consider anti-social behaviour issues that are ongoing, and where the local authorities or neighbourhood policing teams require extra support".