'Children are being used as drug runners' says Gainsborough ward councillor

Gainsborough ward councillors have called for West Lindsey District Council to take action against a growing drug problem within the town.
Coun Trevor YoungCoun Trevor Young
Coun Trevor Young

Councillors Trevor Young and Judy Rainsforth made the motion at the full council meeting of West Lindsey District Council on Monday, July 3.

The motion was as follows: “There has been a significant increase in the drug scene in Gainsborough over the past 10 years and unless we start to tackle the problem it will become a catastrophic time bomb in future years.

“Class A drugs such as ‘crack cocaine’ appear to be easily accessible to buy ‘off the street’.

“It is extremely concerning to learn that the more and more young vulnerable people in the town are becoming victims of the surge in the drug culture.

“We are informed that children as young as 10-years-old are being used as drug runners to supply hardened addicts.

“There is a desperate need from residents living in the town for agencies to seriously start addressing the problem, and of course it requires far more than just police enforcement.

“Therefore as ward members of the Gainsborough South West Ward we request that this council produces a report to the relevant policy committee regarding developing a strategic approach to dealing with drugs in West Lindsey, we ‘so move’.”

Leader of West Lindsey District Council, Councillor Jeff Summers, agreed that this has become a serious issue and a report needs to be completed.

Jeff said: “It is extremely important, it’s worrying, it’s frightening.

“I have two children and five grandchildren and the very last thing I would like to think they would ever be involved in was drugs and I understand that children as young as 10-years-old in the South West Ward in some cases are involved in the trading and moving of drugs and I support anything that we can possibly do to stem this awful trade.”

Coun Trevor Young said: “We will now be working to gather evidence which we can present to the committee and the police.

“We have got to start seriously addressing the issue.”

Coun Jacqueline Brockway said: “There is a danger that when people hear these things we all know that perception increases the extent of what councillors are trying to say.”

The council accepted the motion at the meeting and a report will now be carried out by the Prosperous Community Committee.