A public meeting to tackle overt drug dealing in the Greenbank area of Plymouth – which MP Luke Pollard describes as the “start of the residents’ fightback”- is to be held in July.
There was an initial meeting with the Greenbank residents in March at which one attendee said it felt like they were “a community under siege” – the July meeting is aimed at creating an action plan to tackle the problem.
Mr Pollard and newly-elected Drake ward councillor Charlotte Holloway are holding the second meeting at 6pm on Thursday 7th July to listen to residents and share ideas and potential solutions for the ongoing blight of hard drug-dealing being flagrantly conducted on the streets of the area.
“Too many residents’ lives are being blighted by hard drug dealing in Greenbank,” said Mr Pollard.
“I want the police to take this more seriously and have a greater presence in Greenbank to deter and fight back against the gangs that are causing so much misery. “This is the start of the residents’ fightback.”
Councillor Charlotte Holloway, elected in Drake ward in May, pledged to make tackling the overt dealing of hard drugs a priority in her campaign and has already met with senior police officers to raise her concerns.
“It’s clearly unacceptable that spoons and needles should regularly be found on our streets or by my old school Mount Street Primary. Greenbank residents have made it clear they want action and that is what we are setting out to do,” said Cllr Holloway.
“I’ve seen multiple drug deals with my own eyes in the last couple of months alone. Tackling the causes of hard drug-dealing on our streets is never going to be straightforward, but I’m encouraging all key organisations, groups and residents to work together.
Cllr Holloway said the challenge had got “noticeably worse” in the past few years.
“Here we have a perfect storm of lack of mental health and rehabilitation support for those who need it, over-supply of student housing resulting in different tenant types during the pandemic, and residents who feel all too powerless in reporting incidents – things must change,” she said.
“Our aim is to create an action plan for Greenbank which brings together the community and all the key organisations including the police needed to tackle this complex issue.
“I welcome residents from the community to join us on Thursday and be part of the journey to making things better for all of Greenbank.”
Local community leaders and representatives from the police will also be in attendance, invitations have also been issued to key local organisations and housing providers.
The meeting is being held at 6-7pm on Thursday 7th July at Onward House Community Centre, 55 Greenbank Road, Plymouth PL4 8PE.
