Ealing Council has undertaken a night-time operation to clamp down on anti-social behaviour in Southall with officers and the police going out in force to investigate illegal parking, fly-tipping, drug dealing and other issues that residents have said concerns them.
Joining in with the night-time enforcement was Council leader Councillor Peter Mason and Councillor Deirdre Costigan, the council’s cabinet member for climate action.
Councillor Costigan said: “The borough has a vibrant, and growing, night-time economy, which is great for local jobs but can sometimes also bring with it an increase in anti-social behaviour. This can include reports of street drinking, fly-tipping rubbish on the streets, illegal car parking, rough sleepers needing help, and drug dealing.”
She added: “Night-time enforcement patrols are carried out to make it clear that anti-social behaviour is not acceptable at any time – and that enforcement does not end when the sun stops shining. Rule-breaking continues to be reported to the council at night, especially around parking and street drinking.”
Following the patrol in Southall, Councillor Costigan said there are plans to extend it across other parts of the borough. “After a busy night in Southall, we will be running more night-time enforcement activities in the coming year across the borough’s seven towns.”
In a tweet following the night-time enforcement, Councillor Mason said: “@deirdrecostigan and I spent an evening with @EalingCouncil’s fly tipping, park guard and parking enforcement teams in Southall to see them in action. Don’t be selfish. Night time enforcement is increasing across the borough.”
According to the council, in South from South Road to The Broadway, 60 penalty charge notices (PCNs) were issued for various offences including parking on double yellow lines and parking on the pavement.
Kingdom Enforcement officers investigated 22 incidents of fly-tipping and issued 13 fixed penalty notices for littering offences, including spitting.
Parkguard and safer communities officers issued two fixed penalty notices in Southall Recreation Ground for breaches of the public space protection order (PSPO), three verbal warnings were made to individuals found smoking cannabis on the estate, and one rough sleeper was referred for urgent help for warm clothing.
During the night a welfare check on a vulnerable resident who was formerly a victim of ‘cuckooing’ was done. Cuckooing is a crime where a criminal, or criminal gangs, exploit vulnerable people. The most common form of cuckooing is where drug dealers take control of the victim’s home and use it for drug dealing – often as part of networks.
Met Police also carried out four stop-and-searches, issued one charge for possession of cannabis, issued one penalty notice for disorder (PND) for possession of cannabis, and carried out three interviews and cautions for cannabis and possession of offensive weapons.
