ESTATES in Ross-on-Wye shouldn’t be stigmatised over the actions of a few, a county councillor told a recent public meeting with the local inspector and the police and crime commissioner.

Councillor Louis Stark said: “Residents of Old Market Close have become concerned over the stigmatism the estate has gained in recent months for being a major crime area.

“I am aware there are issues on the estate, but these are being dealt with and these shouldn’t be blown out of proportion.

“There are many residents living on the estate that are law abiding and contribute to the town in a positive way.

Cllr Stark clarified: “A lot of the issues have been caused by people moving through the area, rather than living there.”

Inspector James Ashton responded: “The nature of the transient people is that they don’t necessarily live on that estate, they are passing through.”

The public meeting also heard from a resident of St Mary’s Garden Village who said that a similar problem with anti-social behaviour was happening in her area.

She said: “Over the past few years, I’ve seen an increase in anti-social behaviour. I find it quite upsetting that a new estate should be subjected to issues like this. My complaints seem to get overlooked and not taken seriously. I find this quite upsetting.”

Inspector Ashton pointed out: “We are alert to community concerns, whilst we do need to be evidence led, we also need to listen to the concerns of the public.

“Sometimes there is a disparity between these two scenarios. The concern expressed over Old Market Close was greater than the severity of the issue.”

John Campion, the police and crime commissioner for West Mercia told the meeting about a piece of legislation known as a Community Trigger.

“Criminality and anti-social behaviour occurs everywhere. I’m not in favour of stigmatising any particular estate.

“However, investigations carried out by the police often discover that it is one particular dwelling on an estate and the Community Trigger enables all relevant bodies and agencies to be brought together to find a solution to the problem.”