Calls for drones to be used to tackle 'out of control' anti-social behaviour in North Tyneside

A Tory motion asks the directly-elected Mayor Norma Redfearn to kit out the council’s community protection scheme with drones and training to help catch and identify irresponsible motorcyclists and crack down on anti-social behaviour.

The motion states that drones have been used effectively by police forces up and down the country in similar situations.

Councillor for Collingwood, Olly Scargill, said: “Everyone knows anti-social behaviour across North Tyneside is out of control. Whether it’s on the Metro, on our beaches, or in our estates, the scale of the problem is impossible to overstate.

“Under local Labour, people feel increasingly like they live in a lawless society. I and the other councillors are calling on the council to step up and deal with the issues that Labour are neglecting.

“This starts by getting drones. One use of these drones is to catch dangerous motorbike riders. These thugs pose a real danger to our children, but despite constant complaints to the police and the council, it feels like nothing has been done.

“Drones have been used across the country to catch criminals at their homes and stop anti-social behaviour for good. That’s what local Conservatives want to see delivered for residents.”

According to the motion, the legal and financial implications of the request will be made clear to councillors prior to their next meeting. North Tyneside’s Labour Group was quick to defend its record on anti-social behaviour and says recorded incidents have fallen across the area.

A Labour spokesperson said: “We are absolutely committed to tackling anti-social behaviour and that is why we formed the multi-agency task force which brought together, North Tyneside Council, Nexus, Northumbria Police, Police and Crime Commissioner, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue, businesses, schools, and the voluntary sector.

“This task force has worked on various different programs which have seen recorded anti-social behaviour fall across the borough. We are happy to explore looking into how and if drones could be used for tackling anti-social behaviour.

“We are absolutely committed to tackling this and our calls have seen more police present in the borough, security on the Metro system, we have invested and increased our own community protection team, and we have worked with our headteachers to get directly to young people.

“The reality is the level of anti-social behaviour is a symptom of 13 years of Conservative government. If Cllr Scargill really wanted to tackle the issue he would join us in calling for the Conservative government to give us back the 1,200 police officers they cut, give us back the funding they cut from youth services, and give us the real powers we need to tackle anti-social behaviour.

“This is simply just Cllr Scargill trying to heap some blame onto the Labour Party when everyone knows it is his government who created this by economic mismanagement and shocking cuts to the public sector.”

The motion will be discussed and debated by councillors on Thursday, July 20, at North Tyneside Council’s Cobalt HQ at 6pm.