But people should not feel that this is the end of all their woes. ASBOs have been shown not to be as effective as many would like, with many victims of anti-social behaviour reluctant to come forward to give evidence and then only to see many of the orders breached. There is also a reluctance to see the ultimate sanction brought into force with a variety of softly-softly options preferred. Those worrying about upsetting the yobs and louts should ask the victims what course of action they want and put their wishes before the rights of those who wrong others.

Challenge 'bigger is better' attitudes
A COUNCILLOR sets off tomorrow to walk to a Sheffield school site to experience the inconvenience that pupils face should Wisewood and Myers Grove Secondaries merge, as is proposed by the city council. No doubt he will sympathise about the journey. But the bottom line is that this proposal is nothing to do with making life better or easier for pupils but it is driven by the finances behind education.
What protesters should be seeking is not a councillor willing to walk a few miles in pupils' shoes, but one who has the political will to take on the established view that bigger is better in the world of education.

Stick the celery...
THOSE clever people at McCain's have come up with the food innovation the nation has been longing for...the slimming chip. It has low levels of fat, sugar and salt and even scores well on the Food Standards Agency labelling scheme. So now all we need is the fat-free meat pie and the country can tell the fitness fascists exactly what to do with their celery sticks!