Anti-social behaviour is getting better, say councillors

While 46 young people responded to a consultation survey, only 11 of the 27 active community councils made a response.

The consultations, held in March and April, were the first part of a process that will now see the comments and suggestions from responders being added to the proposals, which will then go for further consultation with the Comhairle’s partner organisations.

The report stated that some respondents felt that, due to the age of those offending (under 16’s), there would be “little impact” by the strategy.

Community Service was among the suggestions proposed “as a useful consequence for Anti-Social Behaviour,” while other responses suggested the Action Plan was “vague” and needed “clearer outcomes.”

The responses from young people, who were mostly in the 16-19 age group, suggested that many felt there was a need for more activities to be available to help “in creating friendships and overcoming adversities.”

Some young people also suggested that more support for children in school would help the situation, along with the “teaching of compassion from a young age.”

Councillors also heard from Comhairle staff at the meeting that young people were able to identify what anti-social behaviour was for them, and that they did so differently from older age groups.

Stornoway North councillor, Malcolm MacDonald, said that he had heard from “people who were abused in his ward,” around the Westview Terrace and Kennedy Terrace area, that “children have been very well behaved in the last six months, which is great to hear.”

“But, that can change, toddlers now could be the troublemakers of the future,” he added. “Nothing stays the same. I think we should keep on top of this all the time purely because things get better, then we take our foot off the pedal and the next thing we’re in the ditch with troubles again. So, ongoing consultation is a must for me.”

The newly appointed Chair of the Committee, Cllr Frances Murray, asked staff if the level of response to the survey was less than expected.

Cllr Murray stated: “Going back a year or so, certainly the Stornoway councillors were very aware of this issue and you would almost think that because of the heightened awareness of it, we would have had a bigger response.

“On the other hand, perhaps what Cllr MacDonald has said, if things are quieter, maybe people are less inclined to respond. I know some of these responses were collective responses, so maybe represented more people than it looks like, but it’s quite a small response to extrapolate much from.

"I mean, the young people’s one was obviously a bigger response, but again, maybe that is because it was online and perhaps that demonstrates a different facility with an online line survey between young people and other generations.”