Section 30 again

Page Hall has been subject to a Section 30 Dispersal Order for the third time in 5 years after South Yorkshire police and the Council agreed to place restrictions on the area in August.

The current order runs until 17th November and follows similar measures seen in Page Hall in 2009 and again during the same period last autumn.

A Police statement said the action was taken in response to concerns raised by residents over an increase in anti-social behaviour in the area. Local PACT meetings ('Police and Communities Together') have become increasingly heated in recent months, so much so that officials have decided to close them down and replace them with drop-in sessions where people can talk one-to-one with the police about their issues.

Increased powers under Section 30 allow the Police to disperse individuals and direct them not to return for 24 hours, to break up groups of people engaged in anti-social behaviour and to return children to their homes if they are found unaccompanied after 9pm.

The Police refused to explain how effective previous Section 30 Orders had been and why they were used repeatedly in Page Hall.

Update:

The Section 30 Dispersal Order in Fir Vale has been extended for a further 3 months until 11th February 2014.

Inspector Simon Leake from the North East Safer Neighbourhood Team said:

"I hope the order will continue to provide reassurance for residents and businesses who may have had some issues with antisocial behaviour.

“The case for continuing the order remains, and the police will take robust action where offending is apparant, or where the direction to disperse is contravened.”