Wrexham "becoming" 'a dumping ground for addicts and alcoholics’ How abut has been for the last 20 years!
Published date: 08 August 2016 |
Published by: Rory SheehanRead more articles by Rory Sheehan
WREXHAM town centre is becoming a dumping ground for drug addicts and alcoholics, councillors have warned.
Cllr Steve Wilson, whose Grosvenor ward covers Rhosddu, says residents are feeling the effects of a growing influx of people with addiction problems.
He feels agencies in the area which help those with dependency issues have more responsibility to the rest of the public regarding anti-social behaviour, and said: “One of the issues I’ve got is there are a lot of support agencies in this ward which attract a certain clientele.
“We’ve got CAIS and so on and I welcome the work they do.
“I have no problem with the homeless, it’s the drug and alcohol side of things which concerns me.
“It feels like Wrexham is being used as a dumping place for people from areas where other facilities have shut – they are not all local.
“For some, it seems like a lifestyle choice and these facilities bring like-minded people together from places like Cheshire and from Merseyside.”
Little Acton councillor Bill Baldwin, who runs a business in the town centre, shares Cllr Wilson’s fears.
He said: “The situation is a bit of a nightmare at the moment and it does detract from the town.
“Hopefully we can sort it out, but my concern is the lack of scrutiny of these agencies, what are the outcomes of the work they are doing?
“For the money they receive, the number of people needing them should be reducing, not increasing.
“There seems to be an ‘open door’ policy in Wrexham.
“We sit down and have meetings with them but nothing changes.”
Cllr Wilson added: “We have meetings and have explained we feel they are very focused on their clients, but perhaps not what happens afterwards or before when these people are not with them.
“There are people in the area afraid to go outside their properties at certain times, or take their kids to parts of Rhosddu park because of the drinking and drug taking.
“I’ve even had residents over 60 say they are glad of a free bus pass so they can go to Chester rather than Wrexham.”
Wrexham MP Ian Lucas, who shares an office in Rhosddu with AM Lesley Griffiths, says he feels solutions could lie in daytime education for service users.
He said: “I feel we are lacking in daytime provision for those with drug and alcohol issues, but at the moment there is no next step.
“I feel we have a fair amount of overnight accommodation in Wrexham but people are not spending their time carefully during the day, and I want to see requirements that those in receipt of medication, attend education courses and training with a view to getting them towards work.
“There is a perception that there are people just hanging around during the day and I know many residents in Rhosddu are concerned at the number of agencies in the area.
“I would like to see some of the numerous empty buildings there used for education.”
CAIS chief executive Clive Wolfendale admitted he can understand residents’ frustrations, but pointed to the positive work the charity does.
He said: “I can well understand the concerns of people in Wrexham town centre having spent an evening walking around the area recently.
“The problem is about the growth in demand for services as much as their availability. It is important to recognise that the majority of individuals involved originate from the Wrexham area.
“CAIS, as one of the agencies working locally, has been engaging with Wrexham Council, North Wales Police, health authorities and other partners in Wrexham to look at these concerns and has put in place a number of actions. We are working alongside enforcement agencies in tackling some of the underlying and long-term causes of this anti-social behaviour in Rhosddu.
“We are co-ordinating efforts to clean up parts of the town which have a problem with litter, empty bottles and discarded needles.
“Under the proposals outlined as part of the ongoing public consultation over the Wrexham town Public Space Protection Order, volunteers from Champions’ House will help by extending their outreach work to co-ordinate interventions and engagement across Wrexham.”
He added: “They will help to assess the needs of the individual, signpost them to appropriate services, and support those most in need. The objective is to take people off the street and into training, volunteering and employment programmes.
“Arresting and dispersing problematic groups can only ever be a short-term solution.
“Since opening in late 2014, Champions’ House has helped hundreds of people stay drug and/or alcohol free, find new interests, contribute to their community through volunteering, and get closer to the jobs market by developing new skills and undergoing training.
“CAIS works to empower change in the lives of people affected by addiction, adverse mental health, unemployment, offending and other life challenges, through a range of services and support delivered by skilled and experienced staff and volunteers.
“Last year, our interventions helped thousands of people throughout North Wales and further afield.”
see-http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/165215/wrexham-becoming-a-dumping-ground-for-addicts-and-alcoholics-.aspx
No comments:
Post a Comment