Roadshows will visit Harborough schools to listen to students’ concerns about keeping safe and to clamp down on anti-social behaviour

Special roadshows are to visit schools across Harborough to listen to students’ concerns about keeping safe and to clamp down on anti-social behaviour.

Harborough District Council is working with other agencies from the local Community Safety Partnership as it launches the initiative.

Anti-social behaviour among young people increased, especially in parks and open spaces, after the Covid pandemic struck in March 2020.

Police patrols were stepped up and more CCTV cameras were set up in a bid to tackle loud music, late-night drinking and rowdyism in parks such as Little Bowden Recreation Ground in Market Harborough.

And anti-social behaviour incidents have been cut by 21 per cent over the 12 months to December 2021, said Harborough council.

Cllr Simon Whelband, the council’s Cabinet lead for community safety, said: “The majority of young people are impeccably behaved and it is important they feel able to relax and have fun in an appropriate way.

“But the aim of these roadshows is to talk to pupils about the impact of anti-social behaviour and how to stay safe.

“It’s also an opportunity to explore the perceptions of nuisance activity, for example, if a group of young people are in a park, it doesn’t mean they are behaving anti-socially.”

The roadshow is due to visit Lutterworth High School, Lutterworth College, Kibworth Mead Academy, Market Harborough’s Robert Smyth Academy and Welland Park Academy and Thomas Estley Community College at Broughton Astley over the next few weeks.