Some people are creating anti-social problems because they have been given housing in Kington and do not want to live there, the local county councillor has said.
Councillor Terry James told a town council meeting on Monday that anti-social behaviour is an increasing problem in the town and it has been caused by a failure in Herefordshire Council’s housing policy over the years.
He said some people with anti social behaviour problems had been allocated housing in Kington with no support on offer locally and others were creating problems because they do not wish to remain in the town.
Councillor Mick Turner said there would be an uprising in Llewellin Road if something was not done because the residents are fed up with tenants in flats causing problems.
“There is shouting and fighting and we even had a person running around with a carving knife at 3am,” he said. “The disquiet is already starting in Llewellin Road and something needs to be done.”
Councillor Terry James said there is a lot of anger about what is happening and he had received letters from people in despair because of what is happening in their own small areas of the community.
He said too many houses and too many one bedroom small flats had been built in the town, even though local councillors had said they were not needed or wanted.
Councillor James said: “If a young person has a drink or drug problem and you have got no family around, the last place you want to be placed is somewhere like Kington.”
Councillor Christine Forrester asked if the problems were coming from housing association properties or private properties. Councillor James said almost totally from housing association properties.
She asked if a meeting could be arranged with the social housing providers in Kington.
“One of the problems we are going to get is, as the cuts come through and the cuts hit the support services and voluntary sector, these sorts of people are going to lose their support,” she said. “I think we need to talk to the housing providers to see what kind of strategies could be put in place for the people of Kington to ensure some of these problems are picked up and dealt with.”
Members agreed to place the item on the agenda for the October meeting to discuss it further.
In a statement, Marches Housing Association said its records show that the association has been contacted once in recent months about an anti-social behaviour incident in Llewellin Road, Kington.
The incident was on August 25 and the case is now going through the courts. The association is also preparing its own legal action.
Marches Housing Association’s director of operations Chris Boote said he would encourage residents to report problems to the association as quickly as possible. He said: “Unless we are told of problems when they occur its hard to tackle them.”
He confirmed the association worked closely with the police and other agencies to tackle anti-social behaviour and would be more than happy to meet with residents, town council members and other community organisations to try to resolve issues affecting Llewellin Road or other parts of Kington.