Progress on Dispersal Zone

Roger and I were at a constructive public meeting tonight about the Swiss Cottage dispersal zone. Not as well attended as the previous meeting, but a useful sharing of information between the police and local residents. Key points:

Since January when the dispersal zone was extended for six months, 116 people (often the same people) have been "dispersed". About 166 people were dispersed in the previous year of operation.

The problem really is around 5-6 young people who act as ringleaders around antisocial behaviour, with two gangs or groups ("Sin City" and "ASA") being active in the area.

The police and council officers are building a case for several ASBOs against some of the key troublemakers, who are already criminalised through other convictions, so there is no fear that an ASBO will criminalise them. They need a few more months to made progress on ASBOs and isolating ringleaders.

The dispersals have been from across the dispersal zone, and we've emphasised to the police that while there is clearly a big problem on the Alexandra & Ainsworth and Abbey estates, the problems of youths on the Hilgrove estate (smoking cannabis in stairwells) should not be forgotten.

It looks certain we will get an extension of the dispersal zone (which runs out in July) for another six months to give the police and council community safety staff the time to crack this.