Complaints over shop-centre yobs

ANTI-social behaviour by a row of shops is blighting an area but nothing is being done about it, according to a councillor. Marshalswick South district councillor Salih Gaygusuz said that over the last six months he has had more than a dozen letters of c

ANTI-social behaviour by a row of shops is blighting an area but nothing is being done about it, according to a councillor.

Marshalswick South district councillor Salih Gaygusuz said that over the last six months he has had more than a dozen letters of complaint from residents about noise, drunken behaviour and vandalism around the Quadrant shops in St Albans.

Burglaries

He also knows of two burglaries that have taken place there recently and at a recent full council meeting he unsuccessfully tried to use emergency powers to raise money for CCTV at the Quadrant.

He said: "This is supposed to be a quiet area and there are all these problems, yet no-one is taking any notice. The council ought to be dealing with it and I want to see CCTV installed at the Quadrant."

Cllr Gaygusuz is now trying to organise a meeting between Marshalswick Ward councillors, local residents and the neighbourhood policing team so steps can be taken to tackle the problem. Inspector Mike Hanson of the St Albans Neighbourhood Team said they were aware of the problems at the Quadrant and had been working with the council's community safety unit, local district and parish councillors responsible for Marshalswick, to address the issues

He added: "The area is part of a regular police patrol including twice-monthly visits by the Mobile Police Station and there is a dedicated neighbourhood police officer and Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) covering the area. Other preventative measures are also being developed which will soon be in place.