Date: 22/09/2009
Community safety workers are to hold a public meeting in Buxton to spell out their efforts to tackle drugs and the misery they cause.
Organised by High Peak Borough Council, Derbyshire Police and partners, the meeting will take place in the Paxton Suite, Pavilion Gardens on Tuesday 29 September between 6.30pm and 9pm.
The event will advise people affected by drugs misuse, outline the action being taken to fight drugs, and alert residents to the signs of drug taking so they can call the police when they suspect someone is taking or dealing drugs.
Police will describe the Buxton drugs market while NHS North Derbyshire will describe the work of Supporting Parents of Drug Abusers (SPODA) and Base 3. SPODA's work is self explanatory while Base 3 offers treatment to North Derbyshire under 18s with a drug problem.
The subject for the forum is the idea of borough councillors Jonathan Davey, Bill Fiddy and Bob Morris who said residents concerned about drugs use in the town centre had contacted them.
Said Cllr Morris: "The fight against drugs is not just for the police but for all of us. High Peak Borough Council is committed to working with the police and its other Community Safety partners to put a stop to drug dealing and to help people whose lives have been affected by drugs.
"Tuesday's meeting will enable us to listen to residents' concerns and then work with partners to take action", he explained.
Andrew Bingham, Executive Councillor for Social and Community Development, went on: "The event will offer support to people affected by drugs misuse while police will answer questions about the local drugs problem and what's being done about it.
"There will be stands and exhibitions at what promises to be an informative evening to which all are invited", he added.
Derbyshire Police drugs expert Steve Holme said that drugs problems were no worse in Buxton than in many other parts of the country. Indeed, there were many communities nationwide in which drug taking and dealing were far more common. Nevertheless, it was vital to combat drugs misuse wherever it was found as drugs ruined people's lives.
The meeting is open to licensed premises, schools and colleges, shopkeepers and concerned residents as well as to the general public. There will be one to one advice available from agency representatives from 6.30pm to 7.00pm and at the close of the meeting.