FEARS over anti-social behaviour becoming a problem in Callington centre have been allayed with the news that the area is to become the first town in Caradon with a dispersal zone. Town residents communicated their concerns about trouble brewing in the town centre in the recent town plan questionnaire. In the survey, 599 residents out of the 869 households who responded were concerned about drugs, 562 about drunkenness and 559 about general anti-social behaviour in the town. Dispersal orders give police officers and police community support officers powers to move on groups of two or more people they suspect of causing trouble. Sgt John Frazer, of Callington, is in the process of getting approval for the order from Cornwall?s operations superintendent John Tucker. Portreeve Jeremy Gist told councillors at their last meeting that they were working alongside police to obtain the order, which would cover most of the town centre, and the move had the full support of Caradon District Council. ?It is more to stop a nuisance becoming a problem rather than stopping a problem. The town council, Caradon and the police are working together on this,? he said. Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Gist said Callington did not want to be seen as ?a soft option? to outsiders who came to the town to cause trouble. ?The message we want to give out is that Callington won?t tolerate those kinds of actions. ?We had quite a number of residents who were saying they do not mind a level of noise until 10 or 11 o?clock at night, but there are a small minority of youngsters, a dozen or so, who are still out at 1 o?clock in the morning, chatting and laughing, and when it?s quiet that can seem like a lot of noise. ?However, we do not want to use a sledghammer to crack a walnut.? Cllr Kath Pascoe also reported that councillors at Caradon voted unanimously in favour of the order. Cllr Gist said he recently attended a district meeting and was pleased to report that this was just one initiative where Callington was ?at the forefront?. Police officers have visited local schools to explain to pupils what is involved with the order as well as meeting the County Youth Service. The orders, made under the Section 30 Anti-Social Behaviour Order Act 2003, can result in people being arrested and jailed for up to six months or fined £5,000 if they fail to comply.
