COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, September 12, 2011
QUESTION NO. 7
QUESTION: Councillor E. Higgins
To ask the Manager for a report outlining any measures being used across the County to combat antisocial behaviour in public spaces?
REPLY:
Anti-social behaviour is an unfortunate aspect of our modern society. The consequences of it impact particularly heavily on our parks and open spaces and while it is more evident in those parks and open spaces that do not have a daily staff presence, the majority of anti-social behaviour takes place during the hours of darkness after the parks have closed and our staff have finished work for the day.
The following proposals/measures are in place to combat anti-social behaviour.
Physical measures - have been taken to tackle anti social activity in parks include the provision of boundary walls and railings, installation of vehicle control barriers and kissing gates and routine patrolling by the Park Rangers.
Furthermore the provision of CCTV systems has the effect of deterring anti-social behaviour and activities, principally by displacing the anti-social activity to a location in the vicinity which is not covered by cameras. In residential areas, where the location of a camera system becomes well known, levels of anti-social behaviour fall as the area is avoided.
Under the ‘Reclaiming Our Parks’ Initiative a sub-group comprising Council Members & officials, representatives of Senior Gardai and South Dublin Community Platform was established: “to deter crime and anti- social behaviour in our parks.” With particular emphasis on the following themes:
Policing our Parks: looking at how we better enhance the monitoring and policing of our parks and the enforcement of our laws and parks bye-laws;
Managing our Parks: looking at how we can better reduce opportunities for anti-social behaviour in parks and how best to respond to the affects of anti-social behaviour by the small minority so as not to take from the experience of our parks for the majority;
Activating our Park: looking at how we can better increase positive usage of our parks. In particular, the involvement of community and other groups in pro- social initiatives in local parks have proven to be quite successful in deterring anti-social behaviour. One example of this is the "Garden for All Seasons" in Sean Walsh Park, developed as a Social Inclusion project in 2008 in association with Menni Services in Tallaght. Clients of Menni Services actively participated in the development of the garden and with the planting and subsequent maintenance of the garden. Clients of Menni Services, who are on their horticulture training programme visit the garden on a regular basis throughout the year and work with local staff on maintenance and planting of seasonal displays in the garden. Other than some very minor damage shortly after the garden opened in November 2008, the garden has remained virtually unscathed by any form of vandalism or anti-social behaviour.
BYE LAWS
As a result of the substantial social, cultural and policy changes which have taken place since the current Bye-laws came into force in 1996, the Council’s Parks Department has recently completed its review of the Bye-laws to ensure that they are up to date and reflective of the issues that now face the management and users of the Council’s parks, open spaces and recreational playing grounds. The draft bye-laws were adopted by Members at the July 2011 meeting of the Council to be re-affirmed at today's meeting of the Council. The bye-laws will become operative following September Meeting of the Council.
The Garda Síochaná continues to actively enforce the provisions of Bye-laws prohibiting the Consumption of Intoxicating Liquor in Public Places within the County of South Dublin on behalf of the Council.
PUBLIC REALM
Under the Public Realm Programme initiatives are planned for locations/areas to alleviate black spots and areas subject to anti social activity.
The Council’s Cleansing, Roads Parks Housing and Community Departments actively encourage communities to engage in Tidy Districts, Bulbs Not Bonfires, Designated Bonfire Control Sites, Social Credits Scheme, Community Clean-ups, graffiti removal and other activities that enhance the appearance and contribute to better living conditions.
GRAND CANAL WAY GREEN ROUTE
The Grand Canal Way Green Route route was formally opened on the 18th June 2010 and provides an 8.5km pedestrian and cycle route along the Grand Canal between the 3rd Lock, Inchicore to the 12th Lock, Lucan. The route is an off road, safe and secure alternative for commuters and leisure users incorporating many unique features to ensure maximum usage and pleasure to a variety of users - including state of the art lighting; comprehensive CCTV with 24 hour monitoring; power supply along the route; leisure facilities i.e. fishing points, boating & berthing areas and seating.
HALLOWEEN
In an ongoing effort to minimise opportunities for anti social activity and to reduce the numbers of illegal bonfires throughout the county, an inter-departmental programme will again be put in place on the approach to Halloween 20ll. This programme will involve a series of meetings between the Council's Community, Enviornmental Services and Housing Departments in conjunction with the Gardai, Fire Brigade and Civil Defence. The following actions have been agreed in this regard:
Halloween Awareness Campaign – Posters/Leaflets to be circulated to Schools, Communities, Households and Businesses. (Local media/website) Use of social media – Twitter.
· SDCC to liaise with Gardai to prevent availability of material for bonfires as far as practicable.
· SDCC’s Environmental Services Department to continue to remove debris from laneways, parks & open spaces.
· Community/Business stakeholders to stop providing bonfire material and to remove such material as they see it emerging.
The Council to allow free of charge access to customers of South Dublin County Council holding waste cards to Ballymount Waste Disposal Centre on Saturday 30th October 2011.
· Under the Social Credit Scheme (Bulbs not Bonfires) communities who managed to keep a green space free from bonfires will be rewarded with Bulbs.