A FEW weeks ago a resident living in the area of Highfield Road asked advice on how to proceed with setting up a petition to help residents, shopkeepers and shoppers, who for many months have had their lives disrupted by a small number of children causing a nuisance, damage and frightening people.

Copies of the petition were given to many of the shopkeepers on Highfield Road and in a week resulted in almost 900 signatures. Showing we believe the concerns of the people.

As councillors for Highfield Ward we attended the meetings held at Highfield School called with a view to finding solutions to this problem.

There was a great input from parents, police, Highfield School, the Parks Department, and many other interested parties. A committee has been formed (The Highfield Community Group) and things are afoot to provide the children with their own premises, also the croup are looking at ways and means to attract help and of course finance.

They are committed and caring people and deserve all our help in whatever way we can give it.

People are obviously very pleased to hear of this but they are still worried that if nothing comes of it, then the shopkeepers will decide enough is enough.

An area like Highfield Road is a vibrant shopping area and needs its butchers, electricians, hairdressers, card shop, grocers, adults and children's clothes outlets, furniture stores, the local pub and club, restaurants, post office, take aways, the home made cake and bread stores, B&M, the florists -- and any more we may have missed out.

These must be protected, not only for the local people who enjoy their amenities, but the people from other areas who love to shop in Highfield Road.

The number of signatures on the petition) makes a case for showing how important it is for the Highfield Community Group to succeed and for us to remember that no everyone prefers (or can manage to get to) the larger shopping centres.

Places like Highfield Road are the life's blood of the community and this standard of life is one we should all be able to enjoy.

We hope the group has great success.

At the end of the day most of the people who signed the petition would be either parents, or grandparents themselves and their petition was not in any way directed at children's right to play and enjoy themselves, more to protect their right to a peaceful co-existence.

Cllr Lily Henderson

& Cllr Susan Fowler