FOLLOWING the announcement of a cash influx to tackle antisocial behaviour in Jaywick and around Clacton Pier, we spoke with residents to get their thoughts.
In October, the police, fire, and crime commissioner for Essex announced a new £1.6million investment aimed at reducing antisocial behaviour in 15 targeted hotspots across the county.
We spoke with six members of the Jaywick community to get their thoughts.
Vicky Stevens, 44, who lives on Humber Avenue, runs a market stall in the area.
“It could be as a result of the population change, with more older people in the area and less young ones.
“There isn't nothing around here so more youth facilities might be a good idea and they stopped the stuff at the research centre.
“It’s better to give them something that occupies them now, rather than getting into trouble and paying for it later.”
Barbara Simpson, 72, of Swift Avenue, who is retired said: “I have plenty of kids down my road and plenty of kids up and down on their bikes, but they’re not doing any harm, they’re not naughty kids.
“I do hardly ever see police presence on the streets, unless something happens and then you get a few down here.
“I came here from Hackney 28 years ago and there is a lot of police presence there, after coming to visit a few weeks in a row I decided to stay and everyone here is so friendly and says hello, it’s a real community.”
Chantelle Frost, 24, who lives on Frinton Road in Kirby, has been running a market stall in Jaywick for around a year, she said: “We've only really had one incident in the area and I've been in a year end of this month.
“They have been back since and they were really nice with me and were friendly.”
“Every Thursday without fail there’s one or two police cars that come up and down at some point during the day.
“What I will say is that when the police are present at the events which are held here, there isn’t as many younger people here and not many people under my age.”
Anna Timmings, 74, of Alfred Terrace, retired said: “I now live in Walton but I used to live on the holiday park and I love coming back, but whilst I was on the holiday park I didn’t see any kind of trouble.
“As for feeling safe, I wouldn’t say I’ve ever felt like that, there is sometimes rough customers, but there is very much a community feeling.
“I think there’s other things the money can be spent on, there’s issues with the buses and stuff like that.”
Donna Frost, 60, who lives on Frinton Road in Kirby Cross, works alongside her daughter at the market stall.
“We live in Kirby but come and do this market every week, we advertise it as much as possible, but the moment people find out its in Jaywick, they say oh never mind.
“We’ve been doing this for around a year and we’ve made some great friends doing it and we’ve got regular faces, its all about community spirit.”
Tim Carroll, 49, of Wolesley Avenue, is a solid plasterer by trade but has been a carer for over three years, he said: “I haven’t really noticed any issues with ASB, there’s a few kids hanging around, but they’re just young and they’ve got no youth club or anything.
“If there was a club like that to go to, which teaches them discipline and everything else, it stops them from being anti-social before they get punished for it.
“The lighting and alleyways also need to be fixed as it can be quite dark at times as well.”
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