Council responds as antisocial behaviour makes Chalvey feel like a 'forgotten ward'

Slough Borough Council (SBC) has said it will consider the ‘scope’ of its powers to tackle anti-social behaviour following complaints about groups loitering on Chalvey Road.

The issue near Alexandra Plaza has been ongoing for several years – exacerbated by periods of hot weather, residents say.

Lifelong Chalvey resident Ashiq Abdeali has been collecting CCTV footage of crowds sitting on chairs, blocking the pedestrian pathway, drinking, littering and causing noise nuisance in the residential area at late hours.

The 59-year-old owns and operates Alexandra Plaza and Chalvey Supermarket, and said fewer customers are frequenting his and nearby businesses.

Groups congregating at the top of Alexandra Road, Brammas Close and Spackmans Way can be ‘overwhelming’, Ashiq added.

The ‘first nail in the coffin’ was introducing a one-way system in Chalvey, as widened pavements create more spaces for people to congregate, which he says is a ‘huge concern’ if introduced in other parts of Slough.

“Someone somewhere just needs to take the bull by the horns and say, ‘Look, there is a problem,’” he told the Express.

SBC introduced a three-year Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for the whole borough for alcohol consumption in public and ‘associated nuisance behaviours’ on July 5, 2024. This can be enforced by the police.

A council spokesperson has said it will review the current PSPO, on account of the growing public order issues in Chalvey, to consider whether the current provisions are the ‘right ones’.

Changing the order is ‘not a quick process’ and relies on gathered evidence, the council says, but Ashiq asked what more is needed than hours of CCTV footage captured from outside his stores.

The lack of deterrence has left the Chalvey community disheartened, he said, and they feel like ‘the forgotten ward in the town’.

“Nobody is asking anybody to come down heavy-handed and arrest people and waste resources. I’m not asking for that kind of strong action,” said Ashiq.

“I appreciate it’s a resource issue situation in Slough.

“What we need is people on the ground. A hands-on, proactive approach. A little bit of positive integration, community cohesion [and] education.”

His suggestions are stern warnings and leaflets in multiple languages on acceptable behaviours and the legal consequences.

Thames Valley Police said it is working with Slough Borough Council to tackle antisocial behaviour in Chalvey through joint operations and targeted patrols.

An SBC spokesperson said: “This is a challenging issue and one that has been considered over many years.

“We know groups of people have for some time been gathering to socialise in the day/evenings near Chalvey Supermarket. We understand this is a cultural practice in some communities, but that it can create some concern for those in the close vicinity.”

The council held a problem-solving meeting to assess its approach, community engagement tools and enforcement abilities.

“In the main, enforcement as a way of preventing gathering has not been a successful way of having an impact to date, with very little justifiable enforcement being able to legally be followed through,” said the council spokesperson.

“The police are subject to their operational priorities and the demands upon them at any one time across the area, but we work closely with them and have shared these concerns with them. Meanwhile, the council is considering the scope of the whole PSPO and our enforcement capabilities alongside the police.”

Thames Valley Police uses enforcement powers such as Community Protection Notices and hotspot patrols, and encourages residents to report incidents via 101 or on its website.