MORE data on antisocial behaviour hotspots in a Gwent county borough have been asked for by a councillor.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council Children Young People and Families scrutiny committee on Tuesday, July 1, councillors received a report on safeguarding performance from the education department during the last year.

The report covered the 2024 summer, autumn and spring terms, and provided data on the number and types of anti-social behaviour (ASB) that had occurred during the period.

Cllr Jules Gardner (Labour) said hotspots had been mentioned in the report as a reason for the increase in punishments aimed at tackling the rising number of ASB and serious violence incidents in the county borough.

Cllr Gardner said: “I just wonder if there is any data on where the hotspot locations are and how many people instigated the anti-social behaviour in those areas, areas so that we can actually see what the increase is not just the punitive sanctions taken against those individuals.”

He stressed that the information would give councillors more context to the report.

Young people and partnerships team manager Joanne Sims said the information could be provided in future reports.

“ASB hotspot directs a lot of our team’s work, but this report reflects on the previous year and hotspots change.

Cllr Sonia Behr (Labour) said that a list of all types of antisocial behaviour had been included in the report, but it didn’t include possession of “potentially” offensive weapons, which it should.

School inclusion manager Julie Sambrook said she would “check” where the list had come from and whether it was a set list provided by the safeguarding multi-agency partnership.

If not possession of offensive weapons could be added to it, explained Ms Sambrook.

Councillors went on to agree the report.