More vandalism adds £4k to New Milton Town Council’s £50k repair bill

FURTHER vandalism on New Milton’s recreation ground added another £4,000 to antisocial behaviour clear-up and repair costs.

Police were alerted after a town council worker was subjected to abuse upon witnessing some of the damage being caused on the afternoon of Saturday 9th March.

The bed and springs on the play area’s trampoline were targeted, while a litter bin was ripped from its base by the skate park.

A short section was also cut from the high-level fence between the recreation ground and the bowls club and pushed between bench slats.

The extra cost for addressing such offences was revealed at a recent town council finance and general purposes committee meeting.

Before this, the authority had been forced to pay out a total of £50,000 by the end of December.

As reported in the A&T, this included repairing damage and clearing graffiti.

Cllr Geoffrey Blunden told the meeting: “This really demonstrates the significant cost of antisocial behaviour across the town council.”

Town clerk Graham Flexman pointed out some of the latest vandalism had been captured on CCTV.

Town council estates and facilities manager Mark Jeffries told the A&T afterwards all damaged items except the fence had since been replaced.

“Our duty team member was subject to abuse while carrying out the routine afternoon litter pick,” Mr Jeffries said.

“He witnessed play area trampoline bed being vandalised and did a 101 call to the police.”

A Hampshire police spokesperson said: “We were called to a report of antisocial behaviour involving approximately six teenagers at the recreation ground on Whitefield Road, New Milton, shortly before 5pm on Saturday 9th March.

“Officers attended the area described by the informant. No offences were identified, but a group of teenagers were located, spoken to and advised.”