Youth Club may help solve problems in Galgorm area

A plan to set up a youth club in Galgorm is being progressed by the PSNI with the support of Ballymena Borough Council, local church representatives and the NEELB Youth Service in a bid to solve long-running problems of anti-social behaviour and underage drinking in the village, Ballymena DPP has been told.

Those attended last week’s District Policing Partnership meeting in public heard that as underage drinking continued in the area, police maintained high levels of patrols with young people detected drinking and taken home.

It was pointed out, however, by the Area Commander, Chief Inspector Sean Fitzpatrick, that many of the young people were from outside the locale.

He added that additional officers had been drafted into hotspot areas such as Galgorm and also Portglenone and Harryville to address not only street drinking but other specific problems such as anti-social behaviour and graffiti.

The meeting heard that much of the work has been managed through the PACT (Partners and Communities Together) process and that Ballymena Neighbour Policing Team had been working with Youth Clubs to build up good relationships through events like football matches and pamper and pizza nights.

The Area Commander added that reports on Galgorm had shown a gradual downward trend in anti-social activity there in recent months.