A CAMPAIGNER has warned that communities in Springbourne, Boscombe and Charminster must "stick together" to tackle drug troubles rather than relying on the police or council.

Nigel Gillespie, who chaired a public meeting for residents of Springbourne and East Cliff on Wednesday, September 21, spoke out after learning that residents are "frightened to leave their homes" over concerns about addicts and prostitution in the area.

The forum was also attended by Dorset's police and crime commissioner Martyn Underhill, who now plans to call his own meeting.

"Everyone who lives here will know there is still an ongoing problem and we have got to look at moving the area forward," said Mr Gillespie.

"If this neighbourhood is going to get better, we are all going to have to get our hands dirty.

"The majority of the drug deals completed here end up with the drugs going back to Charminster.

"We can't be NIMBYs - we've got to work together, as a collective, to solve the drug problem in our area.

"We can't rely on the police or the council to do it any more.

"We've got to join together, forget our differences and try to do something as one community.

"It could fail - I don't know. But we've got to try to deal with this big issue that's facing us here."

Mr Gillespie said two women who attended the forum and live in Southcote Road are often too afraid to go out at night because of addicts in the area.

"Every homeless person will have their own story, and my sympathies are with them.

"However, there are some individuals on the streets who don't wish to engage with the council, rehabs or churches," he said.

"Their wish is to create a bad environment.

"This can really be seen by the interchange - it's the gateway to Bournemouth, but there's drug use there, there are aggressive people there.

"This is where our tourists come to Bournemouth. It's where businesspeople first come to the town.

"But often these people will be able to see addicts passed out on the road as they arrive.

"It is not acceptable for what we call a premier resort."

And Mr Gillespie said officers with the area's neighbourhood policing teams often struggle to crack down on the problems.

"If there is no threat, risk of harm or vulnerability involved, we are being told to go online and send an email to the force rather than calling 101," he said.

"The reality now is that, because of government cuts, the days of dialling up a police station and expecting an officer there and then are gone for good.

"It's no fault of officers on the street or the force, but that's what we all have to understand."

Mr Underhill said residents who attended the meeting were "worried about prostitution, drug issues, lack of police engagement and HMOs."

He now plans to hold his own meeting to explain more about initiatives such as Operation Galaxy, which aims to reduce the impact of ‘problem premises’ in Boscombe.

"We’ve got to arrange a public meeting with police representatives and councillors to explain what we’re doing," he said.