Anti-Social Behaviours

Authorities seem unable to stop the following behaviours that seriously distress residents. These are excerpts of complaints sent to our local Council followed by relevant responses from Councillors & Council:

I am a resident on Seafront. Last night our household was awakened around 11pm to the sound of much noise and merriment. This is not an uncommon experience, we often experience Daytona style car racing and other types of unsocial activity late in the evening. Last night ...was different. Motorhomes had assembled and set up camp ... Spotlights were switched on [and] noticed by the International Space Station. Disco music ...went on...for hours. All the residents ...had a very disturbed nights sleep. ...some of our senior residents were frightened by the event. These people are now months into lockdown and suffering from severe anxiety issues.

[Residents working to provide] PPE equipment for the NHS ...[need a] good night's rest...

Councillor's response:

Please telephone 101 and report this nuisance to the police as and when it happens as it is they who should hopefully take action. The more calls from residents that the police receive the more likely they are to take strong action against “these visitors.”

I have always been against the erection of barriers to the car parks, as it would be unfair to impede the enjoyment of the many residents and visitors who come in their camper vans to enjoy our seafront. We do however review our decisions as needed.

Overnight illegal parking continues, and just to take one example:

An encampment of several tents plus a caravan has sprung up on beachlands opposite The Crescent. In addition there were two camper vans parked on two different areas early this morning, obviously parked overnight (one even still had the "roof bed" contraption up). Could you pass this on to the appropriate department and let me know what you propose to stop this.

East Hants District Council (EHDC) replies:

I can confirm that we are regularly carrying out overnight beach patrols and will continue to do so and in our recent overnight patrols we issued 19 Penalty Charge Notices. Unfortunately we have no powers to lift vehicles and even when we issue a PCN we can only issue one ticket per 24hrs for the same contravention. And since parking contraventions were decriminalised I suppose the police do not have the resources? [Some illegal mobile campers say the fine is "worth it"].

As for detailed reports of especially dangerous debris including chunks of broken bottles left, by visitors to West Beach, in the sand for the incoming tide, EHDC replies:

The following officers are deployed directly onto managing the seafront, and supported by two of Norse’s operational managers:

• 1 x public convenience cleaner

• 1 x Beach Officer

• 1 x Beach Patrol Officer

• 3 x litter pickers.

We are seeing huge volumes of waste appearing on Hayling Island and, in spite of regular, visible patrols, we are still seeing members of the public disregarding good waste management practices. So, we have been actively working with Norse to review the number of waste bins and how the staff resources are deployed particularly as we enter the summer months still under the shadow of coronavirus. In terms of the staff resource, there are 2 teams working on litter clearing. Between them they will cover the seafront for 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. This will be until September and from April to September going forward. We are working with Norse on a communications campaign to support litter management, including advising people to take their rubbish home with them if the bins are full, and have passed your suggestions across to them for consideration as they develop their messaging. About 45 extra 240ltr bins along the sea front.