The leader of Dundee City Council has said last year’s “disgusting” Kirkton riots were not a reflection on the area as he offers reassurance to the community twelve months on.
The chaos which broke out last Halloween saw a school smashed up, fireworks thrown at police and several fires started.
Ahead of Halloween and Bonfire Night, John Alexander says work is under way to ensure the authorities are prepared – amid claims not enough has been done to address the underlying issues that led to the disorder.
Mr Alexander represents the Strathmartine ward Kirkton falls under.
He said: “We need to be clear about the scenes from last year. These were not necessarily a reflection on the area and nor did the incident exclusively involve people from Kirkton.
“There are issues every year in the run up to bonfire night, across every town and city in the UK but what we saw last year was exceptional for all the wrong reasons.
“Fire & Rescue colleagues, Police Scotland and the council have been working proactively to ensure that those scenes are not repeated anywhere in the city.”
He added: “Local intelligence gathering, additional support and staff and activities in the surrounding areas are all part of the response.
“No one is naïve enough to believe that there won’t be some issues, as has been the case for all the 35 years I’ve been alive, but work is underway to prevent a repeat of 2022.
“It was disgusting.”
Calls for multi-agency group to be set up
In the aftermath of last year’s violence there were calls for a multi-agency group to be set up in order to establish and understand the issues behind the violence.
Councillor Kevin Keenan, who also represents the Strathmartine ward, said this approach had achieved success in other areas of the U.K which had experienced rioting.
But 12 months on, the Labour group leader says he feels more could’ve been done.
“There has been successes but there’s also been a few breakouts of fires and whatnot, so I’m not sure the underlying issues (of anti-social behaviour) have been addressed”, he explained.
“I would’ve liked to have seen a multi-agency approach similar to what has happened in other areas where rioting has happened.
“These initiatives seeming to have brokered longer-term peace.
“But I believe that’s been lacking in Kikrton; I don’t think it has happened to the same extent as elsewhere.”
But council leader John Alexander says time and investment has been made in the Kirkton Community, including additional support and activities for young people.
He said: “Over the last 12 months, a whole array of activities and initiatives have continued to be supported in the area.
“This includes working with families as well as young people and improving spaces like a MUGA pitch and floodlights for use all year around.
“There’s also been a focus on engaging young males in the area who made up a significant proportion of those causing issues last year.”
This was echoed by the Liberal Democrat councillor for the ward, Daniel Coleman.
He added: “Credit has to be given the local management group of the Kirkton Community Centre, they have put on a lot more youth friendly activities in the past year – hopefully that pays dividends.
“The Kirkton community is strong and there’s lots of great residents that promote community activity, so it’s important to recognise the great work that goes on.”
Conversation