anti-social behaviour – Lee Manor Society

Glendale is to trial afternoon patrols in Manor House Gardens in a bid to combat the wave of anti-social behaviour there.

The company, which is contracted to manage the Gardens, will mount patrols between 4 pm and 6 pm for the next two weeks, and will monitor activity near the Taunton Road entrance where the worst trouble has occurred recently.

The Chair of the Friends of Manor House Gardens welcomed the move and added “If successful, we would expect this to be extended over the school holidays with additional patrol officers recruited as required.”

In the last week vandals have torn down the netting in the football/basketball court, and wrecked the lock on the tennis courts. Both are now closed to the public.

The Friends have invited Glendale and Lewisham Council to commit to a zero-tolerance policy of anti-social behaviour in the Gardens and provide the resources to stamp it out. The Friends, and Pistachios café, have both offered to help fund additional measures, if necessary.

A new petition to get CCTV installed has now attracted more than 600 signatures.

The Friends have told Glendale and the Council “We are disappointed about the slow progress of CCTV installation which has now stalled over the last 12 weeks. We understand the challenges but require both of you to commit to get this back on track in the next 2 weeks with a clear delivery timeline.”.

He is also due to meet the Police soon, when he will push for a more proactive approach to criminal behaviour in the park.

The Friends say “Although the council considers Manor House Gardens to be in an affluent area of Lewisham most of the our visitors are not. It is the poorest in our community who are impacted the most from not being able to use the park safely.”

A Lee resident has launched a petition to get CCTV installed in Manor House Gardens, after a series of ugly incidents and anti-social behaviour there.

Ali Billenness said she had acted after the mugging of two girls and an attempted break-in in Taunton Road. In addition, vandals have torn down the netting in the basketball court,

“I have noticed a real change in the park in recent months. Fewer children are coming to the park, no one is playing football and more, young children no longer scoot around the MUGA and friends with dogs have reported being intimidated and harassed. It is really saddening to see and I think the CCTV would help,” said Ali.

You can find the petition here.

Ali added: “It has really been escalating in recent months and sadly getting more serious. It would be so sad if we get the wonderful public art installations and then they are vandalised. My children (12 and 14) don’t even want to go into the park now and most of their friends feel the same way sadly.

“The local police have been called out to the park more than 30 times in the past three months alone. So, there’s an argument that not having any deterrent or evidence-gathering tool is also costing money (just on a different budget).”

The Friends of Manor House Gardens supported the idea of a petition. “CCTV has been agreed in principle by Glendale, Lewisham Council and the police.
“The scoping work has been done. I think costs have escalated due to the need to install a post for the camera which requires a cherry picker to move into position.”