CALLS have been made for police to step up the monitoring of an area plagued by anti-social behaviour.

Residents say they are fed up with being menaced by youths meeting at the play facilities on Pottery Lane, Weymouth.

The ball wall facility is one area blighted by youths drinking, allegedly drug dealing and causing disturbances to people in the area.

Borough councillors have agreed to meet with police and Magna Housing next year to decide the future of the ball wall.

The facility was installed on a temporary basis and has been at the centre of disputes between neighbours and youngsters ever since.

Residents said they had also found smashed glass in the play park – a popular meeting point for youths.

The problem of under-age drinking and alleged drug dealing in the Pottery Lane area was highlighted by residents during a recent Westham PACT meeting.

Councillor Christine James, who is a representative on Westham COPS and PACT committees, said it was not just a council problem but also one for the police and Magna.

She said: “The police really need to be doing more and Magna and the parents need to be doing more.

“We need to get the police to go down there and monitor the situation a bit more than they are doing.”

Pottery Lane resident Sandra Scott said the people involved in the anti-social behaviour and under-age drinking were not their children.

She said: “They are penalised and condemned as ours but it is people coming in that don’t respect the area. We just want the people from elsewhere to give us a bit of peace.”

She added: “We don’t mind extra police as they make us feel secure.”

A Dorset Police spokesman said: “Safer neighbourhood teams are aware of these issues and are working with members of the community and partners to address concerns.”

The ball wall was part funded by Magna’s community initiative fund to provide a safe place for local children.

Josie Watson, housing officer for Magna said it had not received any complaints for around three years but did take anti-social behaviour very seriously and investigated all complaints.

A survey of 126 residents found less than 40 per cent of respondents believed anti-social behaviour was linked to the wall.

Eight-to-one vote decides

A majority vote of eight to one by borough councillors at Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s management committee decided to allow the play facility to stay put.

Other than anti-social behaviour, complaints revolve around how close the facility is to neighbouring gardens.

Councillor Kate Wheller said she believed arguments between residents and children was six of one and half a dozen of the other She said: “Kids play, that’s what they do and to stop them doing so, I think, is a worry to say the least.”

Coun Mike Goodman was the sole voice against the wall during the meeting.

He said later: “It’s a question of conflicting rights; the rights for some residents to enjoy their homes and gardens without enduring interference and the right for youngsters to play.

“I don’t believe the mob rules. To me it doesn’t matter if a thousand people decide they want it somewhere if someone’s life is being made a misery by the youngsters that use it, so I took the line another solution should be found.”