A GROUP of children and teenagers who have been responsible for anti-social behaviour in Dursley have been banned from entering the majority of businesses in the town centre.

Business owners had complained about the actions of the group of youngsters – all of whom are believed to be from the town – and an official exclusion order has now been signed.

Already banned from Sainsbury’s and with the library going through the process, the youths will now be classed as trespassing if they enter 22 other businesses and organisations named on the order.

Over the last two months, a number of meetings have been held between organisations, including police, councils and Rednock School, to discuss how to deal with the problem.

As a result, earlier this month, The Door Youth Project launched a six-week outreach programme in a bid to curb the youths’ anti-social behaviour.

It was also agreed by the town’s traders’ organisation, Dursley Businesses Inclusive (DBI), to begin drafting an Order of Exclusion notice in conjunction with the town council to bar those responsible from entering a number of businesses in the town centre as well as Dursley Town Hall and the council offices.

The order was signed-off at Dursley Town Council’s meeting on Tuesday after being approved by the chairman, Suzi Abraham, and vice-chairman, Denver Thirlwell, of DBI earlier this month.

Mrs Abraham said: “There have been problems with this group of teenagers and children causing anti-social behaviour for a while now.

“They have already been banned from Sainsbury’s and I understand that Dursley Library is going through the same process.”

Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting of the town council, clerk John Kay said: “There has been anti-social behaviour at a number of shops in the town recently.

“It is a small group of young people just causing a lot of trouble.

“We had a meeting just before Christmas where DBI and the police agreed to draft the letter.

“The order gives some legal power to the shop owners to deal with them through trespass laws.”

The order of exclusion notice bars the youths from entering 20 named businesses as well as the town council offices and town hall for the next six months.

They will be reviewed at the June meeting of DBI when it may be agreed to extend them for a longer period.