Rishi Sunak MP has secured a series of assurances from the operators of a children’s home linked to anti-social behaviour in a North Yorkshire village.
The Richmond MP met members of staff and managers responsible for the Fieldfare Children’s Home in Brompton, near Northallerton, following a series of incidents involving children from the home earlier this year.
Villagers had complained about numerous incidents of vandalism and criminal damage, swearing, abuse and noise late at night.
The meeting was also attended by a representative of local residents who had contacted the MP about the home, and the police.
Mr Sunak was told that the problem had reached a peak last summer. The trouble was associated with two young residents of the home who had now been placed elsewhere and there had been a considerable improvement since their departure.
The home’s management representatives said a number of changes had been made to the way Fieldfare operated since the summer. These included improvements to the curfew system to encourage the young residents to be in the home by 10pm.
Mr Sunak welcomed these changes but after the meeting wrote to the home operators, The Priory Group, detailing the changes that had been discussed and the measures he expected to be implemented.
These are:
- More stringent screening of potential home residents with the involvement of the local police
- Continued monitoring of the effectiveness of the curfew regime
- Appropriate staffing levels and less reliance on local police to deal with discipline issues
- Advance planning for school holidays to keep children at the home engaged in appropriate activities
- A commitment to improve community relations and be proactive in building relationships with the parish council and individual residents/neighbours.
Mr Sunak said: "I was very encouraged by what was discussed at the meeting and the positive approach of the home's management.
"There was acknowledgement that the home is situated in a quiet village and that it needs to be run in a way that doesn't cause difficulties for the community it is part of."
The MP said he was now hopeful that the problems of last summer would not be repeated but he would continue to monitor the situation.