A FORMER residents' association chairman is standing defiantly against yobs despite being forced from his home after a spate of attacks.

Les Uden, who used to chair the Kings Farm Residents' Association, Gravesend, has moved off the estate into temporary accommodation after youths threw a brick through his bathroom window and set fire to an old van in his garden.

Police investigated the incidents but did not find enough evidence to charge anyone.

Gravesham Borough Council found Mr Uden temporary accommodation following the attack.

The 48-year-old father-of-two believes the yobs responsible were youths on the estate he tried to help out as part of his efforts to stamp out anti-social behaviour.

Mr Uden said: "I had taken them quad biking and paint balling and they've just thrown it back in my face. Now, I have no interest to return to the estate.

"Kids come up to me in the day and say hi' and then those same kids go and vandalise my house."

But the minicab driver says he will not be beaten by yobs who want to make people's lives on the estate a misery.

He is firm in his commitment to continue his community work across Gravesham to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Mr Uden spoke to News Shopper in the week Tony Blair announced a raft of proposals he wants to roll out under the new Respect Action Plan.

The plan includes a £28m package to set up a network of intensive family support schemes, aimed at tackling problem families whose anti-social behaviour is blighting their community.

This could include evicting troublemakers from their homes for three months.

There is also an extra £52m to offer classes for mums and dads to improve poor parenting.

But Mr Uden has been left unimpressed by the proposals, saying he wants to see action, not figures on paper.

He said: "The action plan talks about giving new powers to police to evict people from their homes.

"There's nothing new about this. Police already have powers. They just need to use them more, rather than turning a blind eye to the yobs who are causing havoc on our estate."

What do you think of the Government's plans? Write to News Shopper, Mega House, Crest View Drive, Petts Wood, BR5 1BT or email newsroom@london.newsquest.co.uk

Promise of hard line on anti-social behaviour

THE new community beat officer for the Kings Farm estate has pledged to tackle anti-social behaviour head-on.

PC James Walker, four weeks fresh into the post, is following hot on the heels of PC Helen Lamb, who recently stepped down after a three-year spell.

PC Walker stressed it is important all the youths on the estate are not "tarred with the same brush".

He said: "Unfortunately, it's a case of one per cent of the people creating 100 per cent of the problems in relation to anti-social behaviour."

The 29-year-old officer quashed suggestions police were turning a blind eye to youths running riot on the estate.

This followed comments by former residents' association chairman, Les Uden, claiming the community had become disillusioned with the police.

He said in many cases, residents no longer bother to report incidents to the police because they feel calls for help fall on deaf ears.

But PC Walker said: "I would like to reassure the community the police are here.

"We'll take a hard-line approach to anti-social behaviour.

"If someone commits a criminal offence, they will be arrested."

PC Walker is also getting involved with community activities in a bid to give bored youngsters things to do, other than roam the streets.

A karate club is due to get under way at the Kings Farm Primary School, Cedar Avenue, Gravesend, from 7.30pm on Friday. All ages are welcome.