Residents urged to report anti-social behaviour in Hartlepool park described as a ‘no-go zone’

BBC News has reported concerns about problems in Rossmere Park, where local councillor Tom Feeney says residents are “sick to death” of the levels of anti-social behaviour they are experiencing.

Reported incidents include visitors being verbally abused and intimidated, rubbish being dumped into the park’s pond and repeated vandalism of children’s play areas. There have also been reports of play equipment being set on fire and wildlife being attacked and killed.

The problems have led to the park being described as a “no-go zone” by some politicians and residents.

Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash said the accounts he had heard about the behaviour of a small minority were “shocking and deeply disturbing”. He is holding a meeting with residents to discuss their concerns and push for further action.

But the response from the authorities highlights a challenge that affects communities experiencing persistent anti-social behaviour across the country: if incidents aren’t reported, it can be much harder for agencies to understand the true scale of the problem and take action.

The Hartlepool Community Safety Team, which includes Hartlepool Borough Council and Cleveland Police, said that it had received only limited information about anti-social behaviour in Rossmere Park.

It said much of the information received had been second or third-hand and called on people who witness incidents to report them directly and provide as much detail as possible.

The issues have now been raised with the Safer Hartlepool Partnership, which brings together agencies responsible for tackling crime and anti-social behaviour locally.

For residents who feel they have reported problems before without seeing results, continuing to report can understandably feel frustrating. But repeated reports can provide vital evidence about where problems are happening, how often they occur and how they are affecting the community.

Is anti-social behaviour affecting your community?

If you are experiencing persistent anti-social behaviour, don’t assume somebody else has reported it.

Use FixASB to report what is happening, help build a clearer picture of the problem and add your voice to the case for action.

The more evidence there is about persistent anti-social behaviour, the harder it is for the problem to remain hidden.