Party of Wales Gwynedd Councillors' Group

During Cyngor Gwynedd Council's full council meeting this week (1 May), the Councillor for Cricieth, Siân Williams, raised an issue of concern to her and the community of the town- anti-social behaviour.

“Anti-social behaviour among young people is something that concerns me,” explains the Councillor who represents Cricieth residents on Cyngor Gwynedd.

“It is our responsibility, as a society, to nurture and support the next generation to be rounded and responsible citizens who see hope and value in themselves and their villages, towns and localities. And of course, Cricieth is not unique. Other areas across Wales and beyond, are suffering from similar challenges. You just need to open a newspaper or read messages on social media to see how things are.”

Cllr. Sian Williams 

As we see more daylight hours with spring bringing fine weather, the town's residents have experienced more trouble. There were similar problems in the town last year, with young people gathering in large gangs behaving threateningly, throwing bottles and trespassing on private land.

Public Space Protection Orders have now been introduced by Cyngor Gwynedd in the towns of Cricieth, Pwllheli and Caernarfon, so that North Wales Police have additional powers to tackle certain behaviour, in order to alleviate any problems that may arise. The three-year Orders have been in place since August last year.

Councillor Siân Williams said: “It's important that we get to the root of these problems. Why do young people behave like this and what can we, as a community, do to support them or tackle the issue? In Cricieth, we have seen damage to the public toilets and lawns, climbing fences to private gardens; stealing from local shops and sleeping overnight in car parks.”

North Wales Police and other agencies are aware of the situation and are taking action and working with others to tackle the issue.

“It's a small minority of young people who behave like this and they've been expelled from school. The punishment is proving to be ineffective as they do not receive support or guidance through the schools or from other services during this period.

“My question to the council i: is it possible to open a discussion with the council's education department and other support agencies to consider another way of tackling the challenges facing these young people and their families? A process to offer guidance and support, rather than neglecting young people, who are obviously experiencing challenges in their lives?"

“It's important that the community in Cricieth can relax with ease at night and take pride in having extended a hand, rather than criticising young people of the whole area. Only a handful of people behave like this; the majority of our young people are responsible and respectful and it's important for us to remember that.

“Youngsters are the future of our communities and they are invaluable to the county. Investing in the next generation is at the core of so much we do, here, in Gwynedd."

Councillor Dewi Jones, who is responsible for education in Gwynedd, said: We clearly see that expelling pupils from schools, although disciplinary, can often aggravate the situation rather than resolve it.

“Excluding young people sees them lose structure, support and access to positive role models during key periods in their lives. Instead of offering guidance and support when the need is greatest, the act of exclusion can create distance and a greater risk for them to fall deeper into harmful patterns.

“It is therefore vital that we look at solutions that focus on the inclusion, support and empowerment of our young people, not push them to the margins. This road also strengthens our local communities in the long run.

“I'm pleased that the Councillor for Cricieth has raised this important issue, and I look forward to a meeting to further discuss, take action and work together.”