Get A Grip.

There has been, quite rightly, concern in the village about some incudents of anti social behaviour that have taken place in recent months, unfortunately it would seem that with a few people concern seems to be turning to something lije near hysteria with some considering leaving the village,

People need to keep a sense of proportion. Silverton does not exist in some sort of bubble cut off from the rest of the world, People here are subject tom exactly the same sort of pressures and problems that affect the rest of the country, or for that matter, the rest of western society. Every other community of a similar size has the same problems from here to Lands End and John O Groats Additionally, because of its geographical position between Exeter and Tiverton and its closeness to Cullompton, Silverton  has always been ibfluenced by urban areas rather then have some more rural locations. Rven if you view Silverton as a rural location people involved in law enforcenent will often tell you that rural areas often have more entrenched problems regarding anti social problems bevause of lack of facilities for ypoung people and less access to funding from local and national government.

I can write about the history of anti social behaviour in Silverton from the point of view of someone who has seen a good deal of it for over half a century along with some close quarters observations of the consequences if social breakdown elsewhere in another part of the UK>

My earliest memories of vandalism and damage in the village go back to the 1950s when yje local Teddy Boys hung out in the bus shelter and every public seat in the village  was vandalised along with most of the play equipment on the rec. I can remember, and took part in, the stone tgrowing battles that took place between the hids from the villagr proper and 'Lily Lake', ( now Coach Road, Livingshayes  Roadm Oak Close and Hillcrest) that took p[lace in the Square and The Bury in the late 50s with some unlucky rnopugh to be captured by the other side, ending up tied to Gravestones in the Churchyard, I can remember railway detonators being exploded in the Square and, in the mid 60s, dances and discos being banned from the New Hall because of the recurrent fights and damage. We had then, as now, our notorious hooligans nost of whom are now respecyable grandparents. in the late 60s and 70s the Square was occupied by the Bikers who probablt annoyed half the village by roaring about the place on their machines night and day, and of course, there was always vandalism of one sort or another, Additionally, when some of the kids got older and mobed into the pubs there was still a degree of trouble and I can remember one unfortunate tenant of The New Inn( mow The Silverton Inn) lasting a fortnight before the pub was smashed up and he found it advisable to move on. That was in 1968.

I moved out of Silverton at the end of 1985 afyer the car park was built and I remember at that time, there weere reports of people being harrassed by youths that hung out on the seat that used to be opposite the public toilets  which is why, I have heard, the seat was removed. I was not here a decade back when we had a wave of serious anti social and criminal activity when people were regularly abused in the Square, cars were stolen and burnt out and tyhere wrre a number of housebreakings,  Nost people are aware of recent devolopements and I dont see the need to deal further with them here.

I think that the difference between the 1960s and now is in the changed nature and mahe up of the village. Half a century ago most people in the vullage worked in the paper mills or on the land and life was tougher and expectations lower. People may not have liked a lot of what went on but in a funnt sort of way, it was more accepted. Most of tyhe kids lived on the council estate and a good many were related so there was a sense that it was all in the family and, pf course, there was no easy access to alcohol and illegal drugs. Although there was a limited circulation of amphetemines on the Exeter club circuit by the mid 1960s, Cannabis did not appear in Silverton until the  late 60s  when Silverton became a popular area for students from Exeter University to rent property.

The real difference now though, is in the class makeup of yje village, The closure of the paper mill and the changed nature of employment generally has destroyed the cohesive working class base that underpinned much of village life, This has been accentuated by the sale of most of the council housing stock and the growth of the owner occupied estates, notably, most of Wyndham Road. Further, of course, you have the colonisation of much of the villabe by middle class professionals or by upwardly mobile sections of the Working class who have higher expectations of what the village should be then those who webt before them.

So, looking, as I was this morming, at the vandalism on the fence around the play area on the 'big rec' I was remiknde that, where this sort of activity is concerbed, rgere is indeed, nothing new under the sun. Whats is new in nthe past half century I think, neyond what I have akready detailed is the blurring of distinctions between the generations which means that respect has to be earned rather then be automativally expected due to age difference, Aksom you have the easy availability of drugs and alcohol which often contributes  to anti social behaviour being more extreme then in the past.

The good news is that whilst people are less prepared to tolerate anti social behaviour in the village there are more people prepared  to make positive changes to allieviate it. Rather then throwing up there hands in horror and moving on people can join the efforts to change behaviours for the better.