Community must keep yobs in check

AT a time when so many doom-mongers speak of the decline of the community, it's reassuring to see so many people in Chesham get up to do something about where they live.

The residents in Pond Park clearly want a better quality of life and want to improve the area they live in.

In this case more than 100 people cared enough about their community to go out and voice their concerns.

We've all heard the arguments that there are not enough police and, of course, it is a major point when considering how to best tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.

But it must be remembered that the police can only do so much and often responsibility for people's actions must be kept in check by the wider community.

By getting together and sharing concerns and worries, residents are able to forge new links with each other and prevent crime and misbehaviour at the root before it happens.

Any louts, under-age drinkers, vandals and drug dealers should all be aware that they are being watched at all times - not just by the police but by ordinary people peering through their net curtains.

Only in this way can communities really shape their own futures and make certain areas better places to live.

If the residents in Pond Park, with the help of the Thames Valley Partnership, manage to get their monthly community meetings off the ground, a new atmosphere of order and safety will grip the estate.

Those who commit crime and make other people's lives a misery should be aware that they are being watched and talked about not so far away from their own homes in a village or church hall.

The people of Pond Park deserve a change because they have taken the first steps in the right direction.

New facilities are a good idea

WHAT a wonderful idea it is to add new facilities to Lowndes Park in Chesham.

The much needed skate park, play area and cricket pitch, is now being built for the youngsters so they will not be able to whine to mum 'I'm bored' in the summer holidays.

All too often children can cause havoc, sometimes unwittingly, as they have nothing to do and nowhere to go.

Kids hang around on street corners and clutter up the community, often simply because they are bored and need a place to gather.

That is why this project can work wonders for Chesham.

Although it has taken about four years of discussions, it will be well worth the wait when the new facilities are finally finished in a few months time.

It may not cater for everyone in the community, but it is a start and is certainly something to build on.

In time there could be a scented garden for the blind, a waterfall for romantic lovers and interpretation boards for tourists.

But at the moment the money is not there to spend. It is a good alternative to provide music during the summer, and it should appeal to a wide range of visitors to the park.

The young residents of Chesham will definitely appreciate their new facilities. Chesham Youth Council should get a well-deserved pat on the back for their research and devotion to the project, and all the organisers should be proud of their success.