A spate of vandalism and graffiti in Bailey Park has pushed a local councillor to call for an increased police presence to stamp it out.

Anti-social incidents in the area have been on the rise recently, with members of the public reporting graffiti and criminal damage to signs and fixtures.

A local PCSO reported confiscating an aerosol can from a youth in the park, after it was being used as a ‘flamethrower’.

Problems relating to drug and alcohol use has also been reported to police officers in recent weeks.

Further criminal damage at vacant property site Coed Glas has led to one man being arrested on suspicion of theft after police upped their patrols of the area.

John Prosser, Abergavenny Town Councillor, said new anti dog-fouling signs have been defaced, and vandals have spray-painted bins and other park apparatus.

“It’s been an ongoing problem in Bailey Park. I’m not against youths getting together and enjoying themselves but they must also respect the community.

“I’ve had some dog fouling notices put up and already, two have been shattered. We put them up about a fortnight ago, and already two have been smashed. I will replace them.

“There’s also broken glass around the grandstand,” said Councillor Prosser.

The rise in incidents has led to calls for surveillance cameras to be installed, but councillors have questioned the efficacy of this now that the nights are drawing in.

Councillor Prosser believes working with police to increase their presence in the area would go some way to deterring vandals and others committed to anti-social behaviour.

“We’ve considered CCTV, but most of that happens in the dark, and it is no use then,” he said.

“We need a police presence, in my opinion. To that end they are looking at introducing a Dispersal Order for Bailey Park and Fairfield car park.

“The implications of that are that people will have to move on. They won’t be allowed to congregate. Sometimes it’s a 48 hour period. For others it can be quite a long period of time.

“We did do one in the past, with alcohol. That would be a positive step,” he said.

Bailey Park has been the focus of anti-social behaviour in the past, with vandals blamed for snapping trees and leaving them strewn across the field earlier this year.

“The graffiti appears, but catching them at it is the problem,” said Councillor Prosser.

“We’ve also had people uprooting trees, snapping the saplings planted in the sensory garden for no purpose, just vandalism.

“They broke the fence in the sensory garden at one stage in the past, which we had reinstated.

“I don’t want to put fear into people who go to the park. It is a minority problem that we have to remove. More intense policing at the appropriate time — in the evenings — is what we need.

“I’d like to emphasise that it’s only the minority that cause these problems. If we can challenge that minority to respect the community, everyone can enjoy the beautiful park we’ve got.”

Locals have reported various incidents to police, who have made tackling problems in the Bailey Park area a high priority and have stepped up patrols both in Bailey Park and the old Coed Glas site.

Local PC Adam Hollings, said the policing strategy of increased visibility was working, with levels of anti-social behaviour starting to fall.

“Reports of anti-social behaviour in Bailey Park have decreased significantly since the problems we were having a few months ago,” said PC Hollings.

“I’m sure this is due to the hard work of the ward officer CSO Amanda Yung’s crime prevention work and regular patrols.

“We accept that it will always be a hub for youths gathering but will continue to patrol the area and deal with any future problems as they occur,” he said.

PC Hollings added that police were also working to stamp out instances of criminal damage at Coed Glas.

 “The old Coed Glas site has been a hotspot lately for youths hanging around and causing damage to the derelict building. The site is currently being sold by Monmouthshire County Council and we are told the new owners will be demolishing it.

“Until then we will continue to patrol the area and work with MCC in securing the building  whenever damage is caused,” he said.