POLICE have been given new powers to disperse groups of youths who they think are likely to cause trouble.

Police officers in Northallerton and Romanby will be the first in North Yorkshire to issue Dispersal Orders. The force applied to use the orders from July 1 until August 31.

The orders are new under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 and give the police the authority to disperse groups of two or more people who are together in a public place and who are causing, or likely to cause trouble. Police can order the group to leave the area and if group members refuse to move on, they can be arrested.

The orders are being piloted through a partnership between North Yorkshire Police and Hambleton District Council.

Northallerton inspector Simon Lovell said: "We have made the application as a means of nipping in the bud a small but growing public order issue in the town involving particular gangs of youths who seem determined to cause disorder and upset for everyone else.

"The primary use of these new powers will be to deter these youths from causing a nuisance, and will only be used for that specific purpose. We have deliberately chosen the school summer holidays for the trial period as this is when it is likely to be most effective."

As the orders are introduced, there will be a period of education and awareness with an increase in the number of patrols by police officers and police community support officers around Northallerton and Romanby.

Officers will hand out leaflets explaining the new orders and will be giving young people they come across details of other activities in the area that are going on throughout the summer holidays.

Chris Fields, community safety manager for Hambleton District Council, said: "This new legislation enables the district council and police to work closely in targeting quality of life issues for the residents of Northallerton and Romanby and ensure it remains the sort of environment where people will feel safe."

If the orders are successful, police may apply for them to be used in other parts of the county.

Insp Lovell said: "We do not want to be draconian about all this, but these orders are another tool that we can use to disperse people if there is sufficient intelligence and a persistent problem."