A SHELTER for young people has opened in Warndon Villages to prevent teenagers from congregating near homes and shops.

The steel construction, which has been in the pipeline for about three years, has cost about £10,000 and consists of a canopy with solar lighting and benches with room for about 16 people.

Worcestershire County Councillor John Buckley has been at the forefront of plans to give young people an area to congregate away from residential areas.

"In the past, there have been problems with young people congregating outside people's homes," said Coun Buckley.

"Although they were moved on, there was nowhere for them to go, until now.

"They wanted somewhere to hang out, or 'chill out', where they can be a little more boisterous in an area where the tolerance level will be a little bit higher."

The shelter, financed by a variety of agencies, including the Government, is part of a programme to put more money into youth facilities across the city. A similar construction has just been built near the community centre which is in Shap Drive, in Warndon.

Coun Buckley said that he was hopeful the shelter would work but there was no guarantee it would.

"Of course there will be times when young people don't do what we want them to do, but at least we can show a united front. "The opportunity is there for us to get egg on our faces.

"We can't make them go there," said Coun Buckley.

Tracy Reck, Worcester City Council's community safety officer said evidence showed youth shelters worked, since they were introduced by Thames Valley Police.

"The kids have been involved in the process, including the design, all the way along, so they now feel it's their place and they have ownership of it.

"Most people tell us that there's not enough for kids to do, so rather than creating another problem, a youth shelter like this has a very positive effect."

Tackling the anti-social problem

WARNDON and Warndon Villages have been at the forefront of the fight against anti-social behaviour in Worcester.

November 2003: A police office in the heart of the area plagued by problems, Cranham Drive in Warndon, opens it doors to create a visible police presence. "We are committed to staying in this community," says Supt Rod Reynolds of Worcester Police.

April 2004: Lyppard Grange in Warndon Villages is the first area of Worcester to be served with a Section 30 Dispersal Order where police are given special new powers to split up gangs and send under-16s home after 9pm.

August 2004: The Section 30 order is deemed so successful, authorities do not apply for it to be extended. "Things have improved tenfold," says Worcester City Council's community safety officer Tracy Reck. The order has now been introduced in the St Peter's area of the city.

April and May 2005: Youth shelters open near the community centre in Warndon and Lyppard Grange in Warndon Villages.