Mansfield 'leading the way' in tackling Mamba

Mansfield District Council, in partnership with Bassetlaw District Council, hosted an event called Mamba and our towns: what is working and where are the gaps?'

The aim was to share experiences and ideas on how to tackle the issue.

Councillor Bill Drewett, portfolio holder for safer communities at Mansfield District Council, said the event was 'very useful' and was 'extremely reassuring' to know that Mansfield is doing everything it can.

"We are focusing on the individuals and offering them all the help and support possible to help them turn their lives around, alongside a strong police response to ensure enforcement action is taken where needed," Coun Drewett said.

"It was acknowledged that this is a complex problem that requires joined-up commitment not just from councils and their community safety and outreach teams but also from public health and clinical commissioning groups.

"We need to keep working together and learning from each other to ensure we continue to make good progress tackling this national issue."

Inspector Nick Butler, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "This was a fantastic event and gave us all a chance to share ideas and talk about our own experiences to make sure our solution is as good as it can be.

"We have spoken to the College of Policing and they have said Mansfield is leading the way and as a result we have a number of other police areas coming to study our approach.

"Whilst we have a lot more to do I am very proud of our partnership approach to this challenge. The key thing for me is we are getting people off drugs and leading more productive lives. I'd like to thank Mansfield and Bassetlaw district councils for organising the event."

The event was held on October 4.