A TOWN council has hit back over claims that it is considering doing away with its skate park in a bid to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Forest of Dean Labour Party youth officer Zac Arnold accused Lydney Town Council and its recreation park trustees of being “out of touch” when the future of the Skate park was listed for discussion at a future meeting.

But the council says any suggestion of dismantling the skate park is tied to ”consideration then being given to re-siting of the equipment elsewhere.”

A council statement said the agenda item was linked to a surge in anti-social behaviour in the town, including £2,000 of damage to council machinery and club break-ins, and it was “important to state the correct facts.”

“There is currently a spike in the level of antisocial behaviour and vandalism in Lydney; this fact can easily be substantiated by the logged 101 calls to the police,” it said. 

Complaints received within the last two weeks in the Recreation Trust Ground area include drug dealing and use, suspected driving of vehicles under the influence, urinating in public, motorbikes using the skate park, loud music, littering, speeding cars in the car parks, damage to machinery and the skate park, and break ins. 

“In an attempt to try and address or control these issues and restore some form of normality for the sake of local residents, trustees have called for an agenda item which involves looking at all of the possible options for both the Hams Road Car Park and the skate park.

“Also the price to dismantle the skate park/multi-use games area with a view to possibly reinstating the land and consideration then being given to re-siting of the equipment elsewhere. To date the agenda item is still to be placed before Trustees for their due consideration. No decision has been taken.”

The statement said it was “unfortunate that such rumours are being fuelled by a minority, all of whom were not present at the last trust meeting.

“Instead we would urge individuals to take stock of just what Lydney Town Council and its trusts have achieved over the last 12 to 18 months; the improvement to youth and sporting facilities in the town, the Bathurst Park and its summer event which was free, and the support given to other organisations.”

Zac Arnold previously attacked councillors for referring to young people collectively as “yobs” in local papers, and claimed they had refused to participate in district-wide youth service initiatives fostered by the Forest Council. 

But the council responded by saying: “We believe in investing money ‘locally’ and to this end the council has resolved not to fund a Forest Youth Officer, but to instead provide financial support, where it is able, to local youth groups.”