Melbourn has a consistently high level of reported incidents of anti social behaviour (ASB) in our policing neighbourhood, and the fact that this has  been the case for some time, came to the attention of South Cambridgeshire’s Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) during 2009.

One of the priorities of the CDRP is to reduce ASB in the District, and it hosts a monthly multi-agency meeting, chaired by Police to address individuals and areas in the District. It recognised that the ASB problem in Melbourn is deep rooted, and therefore suggested that a separate, more focussed, Melbourn Problem Solving Group (PSG) be set up, with a membership comprising parish, district and county councillors, district and county council officers, the police, youth workers, and Neighbourhood Watch. Working together in a positive and creative way, the PSG has been looking for possible solutions to reduce ASB problems in the village.  This includes, for instance, examining the feasibility of carrying out physical changes to the ASB “hotspots” to reduce their appeal to the troublemakers, and the possible provision of enhanced youth work resources.

The Practical Solutions Group is the culmination of eighteen months work by the PSG which recognised that a less formal and more inclusive approach is required to achieve its aims. This new group remains multi-agency but the emphasis and approach has changed so that it can work with and include Melbourn residents (young and old) to help pinpoint problems and find practical solutions to reduce ASB in the village.

The old PSG has already started the implementation of physical changes to ASB hotspots, and this work will be continued, but the provision of enhanced youth work resources and facilities can only be achieved successfully with youth and parental involvement, and this is what the new Practical Solutions Group is all about.

If you would like to be involved in this exciting and worthwhile project then please get in touch by using the contact form on this site.