The Mayor of Liskeard, Councillor Sandra Preston, wants to see positive action taken with regard to providing better facilities for young people in the town during the New Year. Amplifying on her Christmas and New Year message, which appears in the Cornish Times today, Mrs Preston said she was concerned about the indiscipline and lack of purpose shown by some young people in the town. She said a major reason was the lack of facilities that would keep them off the streets and give their lives a focus. There was a need at the least for somewhere providing young people with soft drinks and coffee, and it was a great shame that the chance to set up a cinema and bowling alley for Liskeard now seemed to have disappeared. This follows the withdrawal of an application by Concise Construction to establish an entertainment complex on 'The Bubble' site in Liskeard. Mrs Preston said: 'I appreciate the youth problems are far greater in our big cities, but unless something is done soon the situation will only get worse in Liskeard. 'As it is, youngsters have to go to Plymouth or St Austell to find entertainment.' However, she said, bringing back a year of National Service for the young was another way of tackling what was a growing problem. Turning to policing in Liskeard she said the Devon and Cornwall force had met their targets for the town, but she would still like to see more officers patrolling the streets of the town. Defending the Town Council's decision not to pay for a community officer in Liskeard, she said it was a question of economics. The cost of £22,000 would mean an increase in the precept, which would have to go on top of the decision to take over the Dean Street toilets from Caradon District Council. As it was, the Town Council was already supporting the CCTV system in Liskeard, and she felt the police should consider giving greater financial backing to Liskeard.
