THE good news continues in the Merkinch, Community Beat Officer Anne Urquhart told the Community Council at their August meeting.
“The kids did great this summer,” she said. She attributed this in part to the good weather, but also to the sterling efforts of various local organisations and bodies such as mp33 - and, of course, to the children themselves. She felt that such initiatives as letting children free into the swimming pool at the end of the holidays was a positive move.

Over the school holidays last year the police received 61 calls complaining of children causing a nuisance and mischief-this year there were only 37. “Considerably less than in other areas,” PC Urquhart observed.
Vandalism, mostly graffiti, and breach of the peace, such as loud music through open windows and noise from barbecues remained much the same, and housebreakings over the period had only gone down from seven to six incidents.

The number of bikes stolen had doubled from four to eight, on the other hand drinking and driving over the period from July 1 to August 14 had halved from eight to four. There had been an increase in drug-related crime, but that was largely due to the stringent stop-and-search policy the police were carrying out.
Abandoned vehicles were obviously down, from 17 to eight, and assaults had also dropped, from 29 last year to 19 in the same period this year. Much of the continuing good news was down to the help of the public, she said.