Church youth project could attract drug dealers!

A CHURCH-based youth project could leave a trail of drug-dealers and cheap booze vendors in its wake according to concerned residents.
John Harper, a youth worker based at Hill Cliffe Baptist Church, Appleton, told Stockton Heath Parish Council of plans for a mobile youth bus in South Warrington.
He said nine churches in the area were working together on the project to offer youth facilities that were lacking in the area. He said police had suggested that one possible site could be The Forge shopping centre car park in Stockton Heath.
But Brian Buckley, of Egerton Street, said: “That is right at the back of my house, and it is going to bring trouble.”
He said the car park was now mostly quiet after the shops closed, but that a similar project some years ago had attracted “trouble.”
“When the vehicle went away at night, there was no-one to supervise youngsters,” he said. “Then the drug dealers
and people selling cheap booze moved in.”
He said it was the busiest car park in the village. He said he has noise of shoppers during the day, and noise from the building site of the new Stockton Heath Primary School.
“Now you are bringing a bunch of kids, drop outs and druggies to the site until about 10pm,” he added.
Mr Harper said the idea of the bus was to occupy youngsters effectively. He said workers were aware that groups of youngsters were drinking alcohol at night on sites including Alexandra Park and Bridgewater High school.
Another resident and former parish councillor Patrick Mullee said he had come across groups of youngsters in the area “drinking and misbehaving.”
He said: “Do you really think they are going to come to your bus when they could be outside drinking.”
Mr Harper said similar schemes throughout the country had been successful. He said funding and volunteers were available to run the bus for a year.
Those interested in finding out more about the project, or putting complaints, were invited to a meeting at Hill Cliffe Baptist Church on July 3 at 7.30pm.