Two-sided approach needed to tackle anti-social behaviour in Littlemoor
Elderly residents are said to be terrified of going out at night
There are calls for a two-sided approach to solving anti-social behaviour problems plaguing Littlemoor at night.
The issues range from problem littering and property damage all the way to violence and threats.
It's making many elderly people worried about going out at night.
One Dorset Councillor says the problem's being caused by boredom among a large group of youngsters in the area, who don't have anything else to do.
Councillor Louie O'Leary told Greatest Hits Radio Dorset:
"Boredom's no excuse, but a lot of young people on the estate are pretty bored. The younger ones are being influenced by the older ones.
"I think there's no simple solution to this. I do think the police need better powers given to them by government to implement the law and order side of this problem.
"But these kids do need something to do, the older ones we're looking at helping them get into employment.
"There's a few things we're looking at doing to try and get them off the street, get them out of trouble."
He's hoping the area's youth clubs can be reopened early next year to give them somewhere to go. But, Louie doesn't think that will solve the problem entirely, and he wants Dorset Police to have more power to put troublemakers on the right path.
He said:
"The problem is, these young people, a lot of them aren't afraid of the police anymore.
"I was petrified of the police. I'm not much older than these kids currently causing trouble and I was petrified of the police but these lot don't seem afraid of them.
"That's because police don't have enough powers to deal with these problems."