The secluded footpath along Alders Brook has been a hotspot for drug use and antisocial behaviour for several years, reports Nick Clark, Local Democracy Reporter

The 'drug den' on the footpath next to Alders Brook (submitted by a resident) — The ‘drug den’ on the footpath next to Alders Brook (submitted by a resident)

Residents of a street in Little Ilford say police and Newham Council aren’t doing enough about “loud” and “aggressive” drug users gathering in their neighbourhood.

People living in Colchester Avenue say drug users have been gathering on a footpath along the Alders Brook, at the end of their road, for “years” – and that the police and Newham Council have failed to stop them.

One resident told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the issue had got “profoundly worse” in recent months, with late night noise and constant comings-and-goings.

Police and the council say they are “committed to tackling the problem” and have promised extra patrols.

The drug users congregate along a footpath along the Alders Brook, running between Colchester Avenue and Wanstead Park, where they have built “dens” using tarpaulin, mattresses and old furniture.

Colchester Avenue residents say this means there is a “constant” presence of drug users and dealers along their street.

One said a resident had recently had to give chest compressions to a drug user passed out on the pavement, only to see the same person heading towards the footpath days later.

They told the LDRS: “They’re back-and-forth on our road quite a lot. You see loads of people, hear loads of shouting, until two or three o clock in the morning. It’s really scary.

“When you’re not sleeping because you’re getting woken up by them screaming, shouting and arguing, it’s really bad.”

Another said: “I’ve been here for 30 years and I used to go down that footpath every single day. Once upon a time we used to leave our doors open.

“Now I’ve actually invested a lot of money putting CCTV cameras on my house. Cars have been broken into, stolen, vandalised. Enough is enough.”

The residents – who didn’t want to be named – said they regularly report issues to the police, and have asked the council to get involved.

They want the police to send extra patrols down the footpath, including plainclothes officers.

However, they claim their reports aren’t being acted on, and that the council installed a CCTV camera near the footpath entrance, only to remove it again.

One said: “I’ve reported so many times now, and they’ve only ever sent the police around once.”

The police told the LDRS that its officers are now “carrying out additional patrols and targeted enforcement activity in Little Ilford”.

A Met Police spokesperson said: “We’re continuing to gather the information we need to identify those involved and disrupt offending.

“Those in the area can expect to see officers as this policy activity continues in the coming weeks.”

The council said it had removed its CCTV camera after this “did not highlight any perpetrators”.

However, Labour councillor Imam Haque, responsible for community safety, said the council’s “community safety teams have been in regular contact with Met Police colleagues to act quickly when issues are raised.”

He added: “That includes extra patrols around the affected area and council teams will be clearing the site.”

Some residents said they thought the drug users came to the area to visit the nearby Newham Rise Hub, which provides drug and alcohol support services for the council, including a needle exchange.

However, Cllr Haque said the council “do not believe there is a causal link between the reported behaviour” and the hub, which “provides effective treatment and support for vulnerable individuals”.

A spokesperson for CGL, which runs the hub, said it works in “close partnership” with the council and police.

They said: “The safety of the local community is of utmost importance, and we take these concerns very seriously.

“Access to effective treatment and support is a vital part of protecting individuals, families and wider communities from harm related to substance use.

“We are committed to delivering evidence based, compassionate care and to working with partners and the people who use our services to support lasting change.”

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