WELLINGTON and Wiveliscombe MP Rebecca Pow has met Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Mark Shelford to raise concerns about anti-social behaviour in the area.

The meeting with Mr Shelford was also attended by police Insp Stuart King as a follow-up to a roundtable session she hosted recently.

Ms Pow introduced Mr Shelford to traders affected by recent incidents in the Taunton area who had suffered from break-ins, smashed windows, and a range of other unacceptable behaviour.

She said: “Persistent anti-social behaviour causes widespread distress and I know it can have a devastating impact on individuals and neighbourhoods.

“I was pleased to invite our PCC Mark Shelford to join me in meeting some of our affected businesses to discuss better partnership working between the council, police, and the community.

“We also discussed the role of schools and, indeed, parents, so that any possibility of anti-social behaviour can be nipped in the bud before it escalates into serious crime.”

Mr Shelford said: “It is about partnership working, it is bringing together the police, the council, the community to make sure that we deal with this when it is anti-social behaviour and it does not become criminal.

“Sadly, it is youths, we do not want to criminalise them, but we do want them to have consequences for what they do and partnership working is vital to achieve that.”

Ms Pow said a further roundtable session would be hosted for a report on progress on the way forward.