Following mounting antisocial behaviour in its vicinity, a Bolton-based public library has put CCTV in place.
Bromley Cross Library’s nearby residents located in The Crescent, voiced their complaints with local council representatives following a series of incidents of public nuisance and damage to private property. The library had recently become a meeting point where youth in groups were gathering outside. On repeated occasions the youths had been seen ripping out plants from the homeowner’s gardens and dropping litter on the pavements in The Crescent.
The recent camera installation is intended to deter the youths from loitering and leaving a mess outside the public building. The footage once collected will be carefully reviewed to identify those committing acts of vandalism.
Councillor for Bromley Cross Nadir Muslim, a cabinet member for Bolton with a focus on stronger communities, commented:
“We have had issues in the past with anti-social behaviour, including youths hanging around there, leaving rubbish and pulling up flowers. We have put the camera there in the past and it did seem to deter people going into that area.”
He added that he thought the increase in youths outside the library could be linked to the term-time return to school and college.
Public concern for the bad behaviour was raised and lodged at the Area Forum for Bromley Cross held on September 11 with ward representatives Cllr David Greenhalgh and Cllr Samantha Connor present. Those in attendance also discussed a new system of neighbourhood watch with many volunteering as coordinators once it is put in place.
