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Ban extension joy thanks to boy, 10
A PLEA made by a 10-year-old boy has resulted in Sheffield Council agreeing to extend the length of a ban on youths gathering in a troubled neighbourhood.
Shoaib Amin, of Fir Vale, spoke at last week's full meeting of the authority, calling for a dispersal order to be extended an extra two months to cover Halloween and Bonfire Night.
Council leader Paul Scriven offered to meet with the youngster and other residents who accompanied him to discuss the request.
Now the order covering Fir Vale, Page Hall and Wensley, which allows police to break up groups of two or more people gathered on the streets, has been extended to expire in November.
It had been due to end this week.
The decision was welcomed by Sheffield Brightside MP and former Home Secretary David Blunkett, who represents the area.
He said: "It's amazing what a 10-year-old can do and I'm just glad Shoaib is too young to stand for Parliament, or I would clearly be in trouble at the next election!
"This is a serious matter and it's a pity it has taken such hard lobbying by the local community and myself to get Paul Scriven to see sense."
Coun Ibrar Hussain, who represents Burngreave and knows Shoaib, added: "These residents have been pushing the Lib Dem council for a continuation of this ban on youths gathering for months now, and Labour have backed them all the way.
"I'm so glad this community campaign has finally paid off."
Sheffield Council leader Coun Paul Scriven added: "We have always said that if communities and the police came and asked for an extension to the orders and there were reasonable grounds to extend them then we would do so.
"We believe it is important that we work on longer term measures to address the primary causes of anti-social behaviour in these areas, because as we have said repeatedly, these orders are only a sticking plaster solution.
"We have held discussions with the police and others and we will be bringing forward a new long-term approach to tackling anti social behaviour."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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