Dear Sir

I was interested to see that Medway’s Planning Committee rejected the plans for a new drug treatment centre in Chatham High Street, a few yards from the existing centre in Manor Road. This part of Chatham has become an increasingly residential area recently and residents have suffered long enough with the anti-social behaviour of some of those who visit the centre in Manor Road or congregate outside. To move the centre round the corner would not have solved the problem faced by those who live in the area.

Residents who live in and around Manor Road will be pleased that the centre is going to move. Every effort should be made to make the neighbourhood a safe and pleasant place to live, free from the unwanted influence of drugs and prostitution. The problems faced by residents in the area were highlighted by a recent high profile arrest for kerb crawling and it is welcome that the police are continuing to address some of the problems in the area. Residents will welcome the attempts to move the drug treatment centre but will hope that any move takes the centre out of such a residential area.

Yours etc

Cllr Bill Esterson

Labour Cllr for River Ward