GAZETTE & HERALD: THE POLICE will meet councillors, environmental health officers and members of Westlea Housing tomorrow (Friday) to discuss ways of stemming the tide of disorder sweeping Redlands.

The meeting, at the council offices in Monkton Park, will seek to find solutions to increasing instances of criminal damage, noise and minor drug taking, which is particularly prevalent around the parade of shops.

Coun Nina Phillips, who represents the Redlands ward and has masterminded the meeting, welcomed the move.

Outlining the problems, she told how elderly people no longer feel able to put flowerpots in front of their homes, after vandals went on a smashing spree.

She also condemned intruders who had broken into the homes of elderly women and stolen cash. She said there were problems with the dumping of cars, people urinating on the stairways of flats and other incidents of vandalism and petty theft.

Coun Phillips believes the recent loss of the two community police officers has caused the problems to increase.

She said: "I know people who do not want to go to the shops late in the evening because they feel threatened by all the kids.

"Already the elderly feel they are being targeted. There have always been youngsters from the surrounding areas coming in. It isn't just local kids."

Coun Phillips said that as well as pressing the police for more community officers, she hoped Westlea Housing Association would also contribute to making the area safer.

Inspector Neil Bagnall of Chippenham Police, who will be representing the police at the meeting, said: "This is about stopping things before they get any worse.

"We do not want to paint Redlands as some kind of place that is out of control, but there are problems with order, particularly involving youngsters and we want to make sure ways are found to kerb it before it deteriorates further."

There was some good news for Redlands yesterday, when Durry Maule, 33, took over one of two vacant posts of police community support officers in Chippenham.

Mr Maule was transferred from Melksham because Wiltshire police felt there was a desperate need for a community officer in Redlands following the departure of officers Terry Lee and Mark McIntyre.

Mr McIntyre recently fulfilled a lifelong ambition of joining the police force full-time, and Mr Lee went to work for Wiltshire County Council.

The pair had made a noticeable impact on both the Pewsham and Redland estates during their year.

Melksham has now been left with one community officer but the police are currently recruiting more civilians across the county.

Mr Maule, who lives in Chippenham, joined the community support team 14 months ago because he wanted to help people.

"Everyone has the right to enjoyment in their life as long as it does not encroach on other people," he said.

"Unfortunately this does happen all the time and that is when we step in.

"We get to know who is doing what and keep an eye on things," he said.

Mr Maule said he will be working from 8pm until midnight in the Redlands area and is looking forward to a new challenge.

He said he is hoping to work more closely with the councils and housing associations on solving the problems.

"We are now looking more in depth at why problems are occurring and not just moving it on but getting rid of it.

"I know the problems in Redlands are to do with local youths hanging around outside the shops. Some are skateboarding and there is minor criminal damage to cars. I want to get down there and check it out and talk to the youths. I think if you treat them like adults many of them respond well to that," he said.