POLICE in Dawlish have been tackling parking issues at Gatehouse Primary School.

The school has encountered problems with vehicles along Gatehouse Road at school dropping off and picking up times for many years.

Town councillors were told that a number of drivers have been issued with notices following a police operation outside the school last month.

Police advocate Cllr Linda Petherick reported that officers were at the scene both morning and afternoon.

She said work is continuing to ‘engage appropriate agencies’ to tackle the parking problems.

Dawlish officers have met with the town clerk and police advocates to discuss ongoing anti-social behaviour in and around the Lawn. During the meeting with police officers, it was also discussed reviving a Street Wardens scheme which could see volunteers out in the town.

Such schemes run across the country and see wardens carry out patrols to assist police.

Members of the Hope Church had been involved in setting up the scheme but it was stopped due to a lack of need for their volunteers and not considered ‘viable’, Cllr Petherick reported.

Uniforms for a ‘nightshift’ volunteers and a training manual are still available should the scheme be resurrected.

Meeting have taken place with the youth intervention team and further discussions are being planning about a new initiative to reduce the trouble being caused by a ‘relatively small number’ of teenagers in Dawlish.

Increased lighting in the Lawn area was also discussed and it was considered there could be some areas which would benefit from better visibility.

Police also reported on their attendance at the town’s Christmas lights switch on.

Three officers were deployed in the town specifically for the event along with two other officers brought in to support anti-social behaviour which had been reported by the town council.

Councillors were told officers responded to two calls within the town centre and units were on the scene in minutes.

The second incident involved and issue at licensed premises.

Shelters in the town were reported to be mostly free of any anti-social behaviour and banning notices, preventing named individuals from entering local shops, are being issued, in person, by police.

Councillors were told that work on deterring shoplifting was continuing.