Well done!

The Home Office has announced that the town is to become a Together Action Area and it will reveal today the amount of extra funding it will receive.

Swindon is one of 50 areas that have been named Together Action Areas by the Government and one of only five in the South West.

Other town's that have become action areas are Oxford, Reading, and Gloucester.

A Together Action Area is one that has been praised for its work in tackling anti-social behaviour using best practice and innovation setting standards for the rest of the country.

In the past few years, Swindon police, in partnership with the council, has introduced a number of measures to halt the tide of yobbish behaviour.

These include dispersal orders in Swindon, where police can split up large gangs of youths from gathering in certain areas and Anti Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs), allowing magistrates to ban yobs from certain areas, impose curfews and impose other restrictions.

If offenders ignore either of the orders they face fines or even imprisonment.

A confidential phone line has also been launched for residents to report anti-social behaviour.

Cheri Wright, Swindon's anti-social behaviour co-ordinator, said: "For us, it is a great honour to have become a Together Action Area as it means we are on the right track in fighting anti-social behaviour problems.

"It reflects all the hard work that has been put in by all the partners to fight the problems, like begging, nuisance neighbours, large unruly gatherings of youths, and even littering.

"But, we can't be complacent and this can only give us greater impetus to step up the fight and really make Swindon a nicer environment for everyone."

Vandalism and graffiti can also be dealt with under ASBOs.

According to the Home Office, the new Together Action Areas will be a focus of renewed effort in tackling these issues, and will help to set standards for the rest of the country.

Louise Casey, the Home Office director of the anti-social behaviour unit, said: "Swindon is one of the 50 areas in the country that is being recognised for the huge strides it has made in tackling anti-social behaviour.

"The partners have really pulled together to use all of its resources and have shown other areas how the new powers introduced in 1999 like dispersal orders and ASBOs can be used to improve the quality of life for the townspeople."

Brian Ford, Swindon Council's cabinet's lead member for community safety, said: "This shows how much hard work the team have put in and I am waiting to see how much extra money they will get from the Government.

"This will give the team greater impetus to carry on improving the lives of the people of Swindon."

History of the orders

THE crackdown on yob culture in Swindon has led to more than ten Anti Social Behaviour Orders and several dispersal orders being imposed. These include:

Wesley McGregor, 17, was banned a year ago from going near Sussex Square or the parade of shops in Marlowe Avenue. He was also banned from associating with two other named youths and had a curfew imposed upon him. The order also stated that he could not engage in any acts causing harassment, alarm or distress in Park North and Walcot. This came after the teenager continually spat at shops, swore at customers and kicked a football at pedestrians.

In May, last year, Liam Walsh, who was then 13, was banned from parts of Penhill, after he was accused of turning them into no-go areas. Since the ban, Liam has decided to turn his life around and has discovered a love of football.

This year, police carried out a six-month blitz on troublemaking youths in Stratton using dispersal orders. The orders were used to split up gangs of teenagers that had been causing criminal damage, graffiti, and intimidating people. Officers reported a 50 per cent reduction in anti-social behaviour in the area.

Other dispersal orders have now been introduced in Pinehurst, Moredon and Haydon Wick, Toothill, Freshbrook and Shaw.

Emma-Kate Lidbury