Anti-social behaviour fears as residents raise concerns over youths in town centre

Residents have raised concerns about ongoing anti-social behaviour involving youths in Ossett town centre, with police warning that a lack of places for young people to go is contributing to the problem.

A Police and Communities Together (PACT) meeting heard reports of anti-social behaviour in and around the town centre, with residents raising concerns at NewSpring Church on October 20.

Wakefield West Neighbourhood Policing Team sergeant Jayne West said there were few places for young people to gather in Ossett, with no youth club in the town and Dewsbury Leisure Centre having closed three years ago.

She said: “There's also nowhere else for them to congregate and we know this is a problem.”

Sgt West said police had previously tried to get shelters installed in local parks, while younger people had told officers they would spend time at the skate park – but it was run down.

A resident at the meeting said: “Round here there's not really a youth centre. There's not much that's free.”

Sgt West said: “That is a key issue for Ossett, your sports centres, your nearest one is Dewsbury and I believe it's closed down. Everything is closing down.

“If you want your children to go into some form of after school group or football, rugby, it's all to be paid for, there's absolutely nothing that I'm aware of.”

She added: “We do have a major problem of lack of things for young people to do so that's why they congregate in the town centre.”

Police told the meeting that an early action team works with children under 18 as an alternative to arrest, supporting young people in schools and working with their parents.

Police Constable Rachel Soeder said: “The solution is not to go and arrest and criminalise kids because then they fall into patterns of criminal behaviour.

“The key is early intervention, setting up places where they can go where they are safe. Some of these children don't have the best home lives. Criminalising them is not the way forward.”

Coun David Hunter (Reform/Ossett) said a bike park had been discussed as part of the Spring Mill development, adding that £400,000 was available for investment in the area.

He said it was something the council had in mind for the future.

John Walker, business manager of Horbury Youth Project, also spoke about the charity's work, saying young people valued having an informal place to spend time with friends.

He said: “It's hard work, we have got committed volunteers. All I'm trying to say is you talk to them and say do you fancy going to Guides, Scouts or all these other formal groups, they say I don't want to do that.

“I want something where I can be with my friends and chill out. I don't think there's anything like that in Ossett.”