'Residents are held at ransom': Councillors slam anti-social behaviour hitting Walsall area
Walsall Council has said it stands against anti-social behaviour ahead of a closed meeting with councillors to be held to discuss problems in an area of the borough.
In a full meeting of the council held on Monday, Councillor Garry Perry said Walsall Council needs to stand together to tackle anti-social behaviour in Blakenall.
It comes as Blakenall ward councillor Pete Smith asked Walsall Council if it can reveal plans to tackle rising anti-social behaviour in the Blakenall area .
The request follows a large number of incidents involving anti-social behaviour in the Blakenall, Leamore and Palfrey areas, with one incident leading to bus services being suspended past a certain time.
Councillor Smith, said: "A few reckless youths are basically holding this community to ransom, people not being able to get to or back from work, two of three gates closed at the local cemetery due to anti-social behaviour.
"A handful of people are actually holding this community to ransom. Will the council do their utmost, with the other involved agencies, to ensure the bus service in particular is restored to normal service as soon as possible.
"Can I ask you to tell us what is actually being done to solve this ongoing problem and what reassurance can you give me, the council and above all the residents of Blakenall, Harden, Goscote and Coalpool that this dangerous criminal activity will be stopped?"
The plea for help comes as incident related to anti-social behaviour in the Walsall continue to rise, with one video naming the estate 'Britain's Roughest'.
Councillor Garry Perry replied: "Of course, I agree that the vast majority of people who live in the Blakenall area and Walsall do not deserve to be associated with the criminal activity that you have been vocalising.
"You have my commitment that it will continue to get my attention, and our partners, in trying to seek the right resolution for the vast majority of residents who live there.
"There will be a meeting next week on the 15th, which the Bloxwich East and Blakenall members have been invited to where you will get more detail that can not obviously be shared in a public forum surrounding the intelligence, the action that has been taken and some of the arrests."
The closed meeting on Monday, January 15, will lay out partnership exercises that have been taken by the council, as well as talk about ongoing anti-social behaviour cases and current policing tactics regarding the area.
Councillor Garry Perry continued: "The vast majority of people are law-abiding and decent folk, and it is within all of our interests to improve public safety and reduce criminality and anti-social behaviour that is associated with it.
"You have all heard me say this before, we all have a role to play, our community have a role to play in challenging the behaviour, both from a family perspective and community perspective.
"The individuals who are carrying out these are someone's child, they are someone's neighbour, and they are someone's friend.
"I wonder how they would respond if as the result of one of these mindless acts of throwing a brick through a window it actually inured a member of their own family.
"We in this place need to stand together whether it is in Blakenall or any other area in the borough."
