Councillors plan new direction for crime-ridden Edlington estate police have “failed”

FURIOUS councillors have drawn up their own plan to deal with crime and antisocial behaviour on a notorious estate after they said claimed police had “lost interest”.
The new Mayor of Edlington Cllr Frank Arrowsmith. 170818-02The new Mayor of Edlington Cllr Frank Arrowsmith. 170818-02
The new Mayor of Edlington Cllr Frank Arrowsmith. 170818-02

Edlington Town Council held an extraordinary meeting on Monday to discuss a strategy to tackle the causes of trouble on the village’s Royal Estate after pulling out of a multi-agency group earlier this month.

Mayor of Edlington Cllr Frank Arrowsmith said the council hoped to have a plan in place by the end of the week and it would include appointing a dedicated director to lead the group, addressing rogue landlords and setting up a free 24/7 community phoneline.

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“The police and Doncaster Borough Council thought that a police and communities together (PACT) partnership was the way forward but historically they are a failure,” he said.

“What happens is you get the first meeting and it’s all bells and whistles but then it fizzles away to nothing.

“If they are expecting community groups to make in-roads on that estate it’s not going to happen.”

The task group was set up last year after months of arson attacks and assaults but the town council withdrew its support after claiming police were not attending meetings.

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Cllr Arrowsmith said: “We have come up with an alternative strategy which we are going to bring together.

“That estate does not want flower arranging and bingo sessions, what it needs is a new direction.

“What we need is to sit down and clearly identify the root causes of the problems and come up with the plan.”

Cllr Arrowsmith said he feared that the Royal Estate may go the way of the Thompson/Dixon estate, which was demolished in 2001 after years of crime and anti-social behaviour.

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“Somebody is going to be sat in my chair in ten years saying the same about the Royal Estate, if it doesn’t get burnt down before then,” he said.

“I am hoping that somebody at some stage will talk to me so we can solve the issues.”

Insp Dave Jones said “he appreciated the frustration” but the force was often limited by budget constraints.

He added: “I’d always encourage anyone who has any concerns about where they live to contact us via phone or please do come and speak to us when you see us out and about in Edlington.”

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