Mosquito devices to be investigated by council

A GROUP of teenagers have won their battle to get the city council to investigate the use of ultra-sonic 'child-scarer' devices.

Council leader Vivien Pengelly told a meeting of the full council yesterday that a special panel would be set up to study the “Mosquito” devices.

The devices emit a high-pitched squeal that can only be heard by people up to their early 20s. It is designed to discourage them from loitering near shops or homes.

Last month Cabinet member Peter Brookshaw refused to accept a petition from six 15-year-olds from Tamarside Community College. The petition, signed by 300 schoolchildren, called on the council to investigate how the Mosquito devices are being used.

Mr Brookshaw told The Herald at the time: “I'm in favour of these devices.

Children are causing mayhem around the shops and if they weren't there they wouldn't have to listen to the noise.”

Mr Brookshaw was not at the council meeting yesterday when Sally Letcher (Lab, St Budeaux) called for him to reverse his decision and to accept the petition.

Mrs Pengelly said he was on a pre-booked holiday. She said the petition should be passed on to a panel that was being set up to study the devices.

Mrs Letcher said councils had a duty to investigate noise emitted from premises.

“This device cannot differentiate between youths indulging in anti-social behaviour and those going about their normal business.

“If he had accepted the petition he would have seen that these young people had done their homework. He has not.”

Chris Patterson (Lab, Ham) called on Mrs Pengelly to remove Mr Brookshaw from her Cabinet. He said adults should stop vilifying young people.

He said council policies like dispersal orders were “driving young people back indoors into an anti-social bubble”.

Nicky Wildy (Lab, Devonport) asked what kind of example Mr Brookshaw was setting for young people who were keen to engage in the life of the city.

She urged Mrs Pengelly to force Mr Brookshaw to accept the petition.

Glen Jordan (Con, Plympton Chaddlewood) defended Mr Brookshaw's right to refuse the petition. He accused Labour of using the issue as an excuse to attack “somebody who is working very hard for the good of the city”.

Labour group leader Tudor Evans agreed with Shami Chakrabarti, director of the human rights organisation Liberty, that “Mosquitoes are sonic weapons that can only be heard by people under 24 and babies”.

He said Mr Brookshaw's actions would only reinforce the already jaded view of young people about how the council sees them.