Home Office funding for Shrewsbury town centre security running out this month

Anti-social behaviour in Shrewsbury town centre has been a major talking point in recent weeks, with the town's MP Daniel Kawczynski insisting residents are "scared" and have made more complaints about this that anything else.

Shrewsbury Town Council insist the security offers "huge reassurance" in the town, especially given recent "high-profile" crimes. One such incident involved a man being slashed with a broken bottle in the Shrewsbury Ark car park. There have been several other incidents of fighting, drug taking and shoplifting.

The town council has been using Home Office cash to pay for security guards, however, that cash, provided through a grant from the county's police and crime commissioner John Campion, runs out this month.

The guards will remain until the end of the financial year, due to match funding from other sources, and now the council is looking at other ways to be able to afford the security.

Helen Ball, clerk for the town council, said: "The Quarry security and town rangers continue to be quite challenged by ASB," adding that the main perpetrators are in the grip of drug and alcohol addictions.

"They would usually take their drugs in a covert manner. Now they will shoot up in full view of the public.

"There has been an ASB taskforce group set up at the behest of the director of public health. She recognises that it needs to be addressed."

Mrs Ball added that the town rangers and security have been "crucial" in keeping law and order in town.

The council's latest Safer Streets report, which went before the recreation and leisure committee last night, said that the Quarry security and town rangers "complement each other, especially when there is no police cover or delays in responding".

It adds: "Home Office funding concludes at the end of September with various match funding taking the service to the end of the financial year. Discussions are ongoing with the BID and Shropshire Council around how the service might continue in a more collaborative form that at present.

"It is evident from surveys of both businesses and residents and visitors that the rangers project has been well received and provides huge reassurance to the town centre and the park. This reassurance work has been crucial given recent high profile crimes that have caused upset to the community."

A renewal of the town centre public space protection order (PSPO) was made in August. However, suggestions were made that Shropshire Council officers fear being "over-burdened" with paperwork if town rangers start issuing PSPOs "like confetti".

The report said: "It had been hoped that the renewal of the PSPO would provide added powers to the rangers to stop a number of anti-social and behavioural issues in the town. It would appear that senior officers within the Public Protection Team are reluctant to grant any powers beyond the current users of the tool for fear of them being over-burdened by paperwork.

"Despite best efforts to reassure officers that the town rangers would only issue PSPOs as a last resort, Public Protection officers remain reluctant to exercise those additional powers within the newly revised PSPO."

The report added: "Quarry issues are being well managed. The security staff are well received by the public who use the park and in particular young people who see them as safe individuals to talk to.

"Town Rangers continue to be busy addressing issues associated with rough sleepers. This includes, drug taking and dealing, drinking alcohol on the streets, begging and shoplifting. Whilst it is acknowledged that all issues are not perpetrated by the rough sleepers, they are by individuals who congregate together with them."