Blue lights which make it difficult to inject drugs could be installed in council housing blocks to keep junkies away.
Swindon council officers are to investigate putting the lights in to all borough housing in blocks three storeys and above in a bid to stop junkies using residents' communal areas to shoot up.
The report is a result of a push by housing tenants and Penhill councillor David Glaholm.
"There was an incident some months ago where two drug takers got in to the communal area of a block of flats in Penhill," Coun Glaholm said.
"They were leaving their needles around and it was happening in front of children and women who were feeling vulnerable.
"The blue lights would be one way we could keep them out."
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Coun Glaholm said the community had to come up with a way to help drug users to beat their addiction but at the same time keep them away from children and residents' homes.
He said the blue lights were simply bulbs that he hoped could be installed in the existing light sockets of communal areas.
He said he did not yet know how many flats could be covered by the blue lights, that was something the officers' report would examine.
Tenants Voice - the group that represents the council tenants in the town - chairman Derek Fry said renters would welcome the blue lights.
"It's a good thing for all residents," Mr Fry said.
"I would urge the council to take it up and use it.
"Tenants shouldn't have to witness people in their communal areas using drugs. It the place where people keep prams.
"If there are these different ways of dealing with this, they should be investigated."
Swindon Council spokesman Richard Freeman said the authority had not installed any of the lights because it was not yet convinced they worked.
He said that officers had considered blue lights in public toilets but felt they gave the impression an area had a drug problem.
One public toilet in the town - in the Brunel multi-storey car park - has the blue lights but they did not necessarily deter drug use and could make it more dangerous.
He said desperate drug users would try to inject in spite of the blue lights hiding their veins, leading to them doing themselves serious injury. The report from the housing advisory forum and agreed by the civic cabinet says "officers are requested to investigate the use of blue lighting in the flat stairwells of multi-storey buildings and to review security notices".
Coun Glaholm hoped the report could be prepared in time for the forum's next meeting in April.
Swindon police crime reduction officer Bob Walton supported the idea. "Anything that improves the quality of the lives of residents and deters regular drug users congregating is a good thing," he said.
"It's been proven to work. It's used in lots of areas like pubs and clubs."
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Blue lights may get green light in battle against drugs
By Daniel Knowles, This Is Wiltshire
February 11, 2007
Link
Swindon council officers are to investigate putting the lights in to all borough housing in blocks three storeys and above in a bid to stop junkies using residents' communal areas to shoot up.
The report is a result of a push by housing tenants and Penhill councillor David Glaholm.
"There was an incident some months ago where two drug takers got in to the communal area of a block of flats in Penhill," Coun Glaholm said.
"They were leaving their needles around and it was happening in front of children and women who were feeling vulnerable.
"The blue lights would be one way we could keep them out."
advertisement
Coun Glaholm said the community had to come up with a way to help drug users to beat their addiction but at the same time keep them away from children and residents' homes.
He said the blue lights were simply bulbs that he hoped could be installed in the existing light sockets of communal areas.
He said he did not yet know how many flats could be covered by the blue lights, that was something the officers' report would examine.
Tenants Voice - the group that represents the council tenants in the town - chairman Derek Fry said renters would welcome the blue lights.
"It's a good thing for all residents," Mr Fry said.
"I would urge the council to take it up and use it.
"Tenants shouldn't have to witness people in their communal areas using drugs. It the place where people keep prams.
"If there are these different ways of dealing with this, they should be investigated."
Swindon Council spokesman Richard Freeman said the authority had not installed any of the lights because it was not yet convinced they worked.
He said that officers had considered blue lights in public toilets but felt they gave the impression an area had a drug problem.
One public toilet in the town - in the Brunel multi-storey car park - has the blue lights but they did not necessarily deter drug use and could make it more dangerous.
He said desperate drug users would try to inject in spite of the blue lights hiding their veins, leading to them doing themselves serious injury. The report from the housing advisory forum and agreed by the civic cabinet says "officers are requested to investigate the use of blue lighting in the flat stairwells of multi-storey buildings and to review security notices".
Coun Glaholm hoped the report could be prepared in time for the forum's next meeting in April.
Swindon police crime reduction officer Bob Walton supported the idea. "Anything that improves the quality of the lives of residents and deters regular drug users congregating is a good thing," he said.
"It's been proven to work. It's used in lots of areas like pubs and clubs."
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Blue lights may get green light in battle against drugs
By Daniel Knowles, This Is Wiltshire
February 11, 2007
Link
