Date: 19/08/2008
Free Street Sports activities for 11 to 19 year-olds, across the High Peak, have been hailed a huge success, following news that they proved popular with young people and helped reduce calls reporting anti-social behaviour by almost a quarter.
Regular Friday night sessions, targeted at well-known anti-social behaviour 'hot spots' throughout the borough, attracted more than 1,800 young people - and cut complaints to the police by an average of 23.74 per cent, between November 2007 and March 2008.
The programme - managed by High Peak Borough Council, on behalf of the High Peak Community Safety Partnership - was so effective that a second series is set to be staged from September through to July 2009.
"This is excellent news," said Andrew Bingham, Executive Councillor for Social and Community Development. "The main aim of Street Sports was to channel young people's energy into positive activities, tailored to suit their needs, encouraging them to have fun, and stay or get fit at the same time.
"The fact that they also helped to reduce calls reporting anti-social behaviour, is an added bonus that will hopefully reassure residents across the borough that positive efforts are being made to tackle the problem, and are proving successful.
"Hopefully the second series of activities - which, due to popular demand, will be broadened to include street basketball, street cheer and futsal, a two-on-two street ball game - will prove equally effective in helping High Peak's youngsters stay healthy, happy and safe."
Football was the main focus during the first Street Sports programme, which was held in Buxton, Gamesley, Hadfield, Hayfield and New Mills, where young people were simply encouraged to turn up on the night, between 7pm and 9pm to take part.
The biggest reduction in calls reporting anti-social behaviour to the police was in Hadfield South, where they fell by 44.26 per cent, compared to 2006-2007, and Gamesley, where they were cut by 32.08 per cent.
Similar successes were achieved in Hadfield North, where they were reduced by 31.36 per cent, and Hayfield, where they fell by 30.14 per cent.
The initial Street Sports programme was delivered as part of the Community Safety Partnership's Safer Communities through Sport, and was funded with a grant of £14,000 from Derbyshire County Council's Clean-ups fund.
High Peak Borough Council and Derbyshire Sport are currently trying to secure funding to expand the scheme to include other areas of the county.
This autumn's programme in the High Peak will again focus on places such as Buxton, Glossopdale and New Mills. Sessions will again be run on a free, informal, 'turn up on the night' basis, at various locations, between 7pm and 9pm.