'What do we want?'

YOUNG people in Pill are to be asked what youth facilities they want in the village in a bid to keep them off the streets.The move follows a public meeting to discuss concerns about increasing problems with antisocial behaviour among youths in the village.Residents have been complaining about gangs of teenagers meeting at the Hardwick Road playing fields, the precinct and at Ham Green.Fed up villagers say the youngsters are using the playing fields as a late night meeting place, causing noise and revving cars into the early hours. Damage has also been done to play equipment and bottles and cans have been left strewn across the fields.Pill and Easton-in-Gordano Parish Council chairman Gerry Hunt said: "The council has received complaints about antisocial behaviour, but we are not experiencing anything like the problems suffered in other towns and villages."But there has been minor vandalism at the play area and evidence of under-age drinking and some drug taking."The meeting was an opportunity for people to raise concerns and look at ways of nipping problems in the bud."We were pleased to see so many young people at the meeting to have their say and open the dialogue between our younger generation and the rest of the community."The parish council is now asking for young people to come up with ideas about what facilities they would like to see in the area in a bid to keep them off the streets."Portishead Police Sergeant Terry Scoble said he too was pleased to see so many young people at the meeting.Sgt Scoble said: "We have received calls regarding low-level antisocial behaviour in the Hardwick Road area."Beat managers are working with the Local Action Team, youth workers and the young people themselves to look at options to occupy the youngsters. "We are welcoming a full-time PCSO to Pill this weekend which I am very confident will have a positive impact.