Children are parents' responsibility

I have a play area directly outside my back gate and although it is designed for toddlers and small children, which I totally agree with, there are a lot of older children who use it as a meeting place.

There is a platform which the older children/young adults stand on, which means they can then see into my back garden and the gardens of three other houses.

There are no parents present, they throw rubbish and on several occasions, I have gone out to sweep up broken glass as I take my two dogs out my back gate for walks.

When I tell them to keep the noise down, I get abuse and cheek from them as they reckon it's their play area.

What's wrong with playing in their own gardens? That's what they are there for.

What also annoys me is that the kids who congregate outside my gate aren't even from around here.

At night, we get people who have been drinking and cans are left strewn around.

I live in Church Hill, directly on the main route of this new "Teen Zone" to be built and myself and most of my neighbours don't want it as we have enough trouble with kids round here without them coming in droves from other districts - it's asking for trouble.

We had young lads in my close with a ramp riding their bikes over it, when the close was full of cars.

When they were told to move, they threw the ramp in the bushes and it was still there half an hour later.

The council provides parks for bikes, youth clubs etc, and what do the young people do?

They don't use the facilities offered or they vandalise them. I know all young people aren't bad, but the bad ones are ruining it for the good ones.

P M Yardley is lucky not to have trouble and I totally disagree about Redditch being "a better place to live in."

With all these cuts and people losing their jobs, Redditch is going to get worse, not better.

The council ought to get the estates in proper condition first, before wasting money on projects not wanted.

Christine S Evans

Church Hill North