Wrexham council 'not doing its job' over drug use

Discarded syringes and blood on the floor at bus station

Wrexham council is "not doing its job" to tackle drug problems in the town, local Labour MP Ian Lucas has said.

His comments follow the publication on social media of photographs of drug use at the town's bus station.

The Wrexham MP said the council's statement on Monday that it had made "significant progress" in addressing the issue was "absolutely not the case".

Wrexham council has been asked to comment.

Mr Lucas said it was reported to the local authority last Friday that 15 used syringes were found in a park in the town but by Monday afternoon they had still not been removed.

"That's unacceptable, they're not doing their job," he said.

"The local authority have resources. This is an environmental health issue. I don't want a child to pick up syringes in Wrexham.

"I can only implore them to put their house in order, get together with the police... and work with voluntary agencies so we can have a collective approach to this."

Pictures of people apparently under the influence of drugs were published on social media by a Wrexham bus driver

Mr Lucas added that local residents were "angry" because "they see their town being taken away from them and they feel they can't go to the town centre any more".

Councillor Hugh Jones, lead member for communities and partnership on Wrexham council, said on Monday that "significant progress" had been made with more than 100 fines - public space protection orders - issued to people causing anti-social behaviour.

The council has also been working closely with the police and other organisations to help tackle the problem, he added.

In Parliament, Mr Lucas asked Lord Chancellor Liz Truss if experts at the town's new HMP Berwyn could help.

She said she was happy to facilitate a meeting between Mr Lucas and the prison service "so we can make progress together".