Reading Borough Council and Thames Valley Police, as part of Reading’s Community Safety Partnership, are planning a week of action, starting today, in the Oxford Road area.
Following consultation with the local Reading Neighbourhood Action Groups (NAGs) and local residents the week of action will try to address many of their local priorities such as litter, drug dealing and antisocial behaviour relating to street drinking.
Street drinking has reduced considerably since Reading Borough Council introduced a Designated Public Place Order for the Oxford Road area in 2006. Police will increase their patrols during this week to highlight the order that is already in place.
Designated Public Place Orders are not drinking bans but give Reading Police powers to request someone to stop drinking if they appear drunk and are causing or likely to cause antisocial behaviour. If they continue their alcohol will be confiscated and poured away and if they refuse they can be arrested or fined.
Persistent street drinkers will be offered help and support, and told how their behaviour affects others in the neighbourhood. Officers will also target local shops selling alcohol to ensure that they refuse to serve anyone who is drunk.
Thames Valley Police is encouraging Reading residents to call the non-emergency phone line – 0845 8 505 505 – to report incidents of street drinking.
Environmental Visual Audits will also be taking place during the action week targeting any areas blighted with litter, flytipping and dumped rubbish. Enforcement action will be taken where flyposting, unauthorised trade waste and abandoned cars are found.
The Police and the Council’s parking officers will be out and about enforcing parking issues and other issues like cycling on pavements.
The Reading Council’s Policy Adviser for Communities, the Voluntary Sector, Economic Development and Performance, Cllr Jamie Chowdhary said: "This initiative not only highlights the importance of police presence to address local issues effectively but also demonstrates the valued input from our NAG groups resulting in the wishes of the local communities to be promptly addressed."
Insp Graham Markham, from the Oxford Road Reading neighbourhood policing team, said: "Oxford Road is served by a strong and dedicated neighbourhood policing team and a lot of good work takes place in the area every single day. This week of action gives us the opportunity to highlight that work and highlight how we are tackling the priority issues that have been identified by the community."
Reading Borough Council
