MAYOR of Okehampton Cllr Tony Leech this week admitted there were problems in Simmons Park with underage drinking and drug-taking, following complaints from the principal of Okehampton College about vandalism in the College grounds earlier this year.
In a letter to Okehampton Town Council, Chris Powell complained about vandalism and problems of underage drinking and drug-taking which occurred during a weekend at the end of May when Okehampton Fair was set up on land in Simmons Park directly opposite the College.
Mr Powell wrote to the council: ?Over the last two years, we have had hardly any vandalism at the College, but each time the fair appears, we find that vandalism occurs.?
This year, the principal said, a number of outside lights had been ripped down and a window smashed.
Mr Powell added: ?In addition, it is hardly a coincidence that problems with young people and illegal substances seem to rear their head each week that the fair is here.
?I am also aware that there were a number of incidents of violence and threatened violence at the fair over the weekend. There were also a large number of young people seemingly the worse for drink.?
In his letter, Mr Powell said he did not think it right that the College was left to pick up a substantial bill for repairs, which approached four figures.
Mr Powell said he was writing formally to register his objection to the siting of the fair adjacent to the College and urged councillors to seek an alternative site as a matter of urgency.
However, councillors on the parks committee meeting on Monday felt Mr Powell?s concerns about law and order offences were chiefly a matter for the police.
Councillors dismissed the idea of relocating the fair as they did not believe there was any other suitable site within the town.
Mayor Cllr Tony Leech admitted the problem of underage drinking and other anti-social behaviour in the park had already been identified as a problem that needed to be tackled.
However, he felt it was a ?knee-jerk reaction? to attribute all the problems to the fair.
Cllr Leech said: ?Unfortunately, underage drinking goes on in the park with or without the fair.
?Drug-taking goes on, with or without the fair. The fair is tradition and we don?t want to lose it.?
Cllr Charles Letchford agreed.
?There has been a fair in this town for the last 50 years. I see no reason why we should stop,? he said.
Councillors said they had not previously received complaints about problems associated with the weekend the fair was in town and felt these incidents were possibly a one-off occurrence.