New taskforce to tackle anti-social behaviour in the Ribble Valley

Action against crime in Ribble Valley towns and villages such as Whalley and Longridge, has been called for as well as the sharing of the borough council CCTV system with Lancashire Police

Cannabis-smoking and anti-social behaviour are particular problems in Whalley at the moment, the latest full council meeting of Ribble Valley Borough Council has been told. Councillors heard a series of updates on police issues and a series of meetings this summer, starting with Council Leader Conservative Coun Stephen Atkinson. He said the new Chief Constable of Lancashire, Chris Rowley, had attended a borough-parish councils liaison meeting along with Chief Insp Marie Jackson and Insp Andy Ainsworth.

Coun Atkinson said: “We welcomed the new chief constable and it’s clear that he wants a closer working relationship with the borough council on issues such as licensing, CCTV and anti-social behaviour. He has created a Ribble Valley task force and we said our excellent CCTV system may be put into the police system. We are waiting for feedback.”

The Ribble Valley is an attractive area, but attracts property crime such as burglary and the theft of farming equipment and vehicles, an agenda for the full council meeting stated.

Whalley, Clitheroe and Longridge have busy night time economies which need a visible police presences to tackle drug dealing, violence and anti-social behaviour.

Lancashire Police have also had to combat speeding traffic on rural roads and the theft of cars from driveways and roads by "out of town gangs", the agenda reported.

At this summer’s borough-parish liaison meeting, Insp. Andy Ainsworth had explained the police’s work to tackle problems and local policing structures. And the new Chief Inspector wanted to work with Ribble Valley Borough Council to ensure the area has the police resources it needed and there would be an even distribution of resources across Lancashire, it was said.

The police representatives had answered questions about CCTV, their use of Clitheroe Police Station and communications between the police and the borough council.

Clitheroe Police Station no longer has a public counter but it is still used by officers. The public desk was closed in 2018 along with desks at some other stations, amid police budget cuts.

Giving further updates to the full council meeting, Coun Ged Mirfin said separate discussions about crime and anti-social behaviour had been held in Whalley. Participants in the first Whalley meeting included Coun Mark Hindle and Lancashire’s Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner.

Coun Mirfin said: “We discussed lots of issues including CCTV provision in the village and ongoing anti-social behaviour. The grounds at Whalley Abbey have had to be closed at 8pm and they are putting up CCTV at the abbey, believe it or not.

“As a consequence of the first Whalley meeting, we had a second meeting with Whalley residents, who told us about the difficulties they are experiencing around The Sands area. We then met parish council representatives and the police in a further meeting.

“Anti-social behaviour is a problem in Whalley. We are going to get a second PCSO and some targeted activity, which is clearly needed. I saw youths openly smoking cannabis outside Whalley Library in front of everyone. That’s a problem and it needs to be addressed in the village.”

He also said there were hopes to integrate the CCTV system in Whalley with the police’s information systems and that the village’s police station might be reopened.