CRIME continues to fall on Oxford’s Rose Hill estate, 15 months after a controversial dispersal order was lifted.

The legislation, which allows police to move on and break up groups of two or more teenagers, was used in the area between July 2006 and February last year.

Police decided not to renew the order after antisocial behaviour had fallen by such an extent that a dispersal order was no longer needed.

And crime figures released to the area’s Neighbourhood Action Group on Monday appear to have vindicated the decision.

In Rose Hill, Littlemore and Iffley, every form of offence – except theft of a vehicle – between April last year and March this year, fell compared with the previous 12 months.

Insp Andy Storey said: “When compared with the previous year, clearly it’s almost all good.

“And that’s down to the work of the Neighbourhood Action Group and all the partners that contribute to that group. There’s the obvious visible police presence, but there are also the partners that perhaps go a bit unsung, like the housing associations, the councillors, the local residents and youth group representatives. It’s all the background things that can go unnoticed.

“Rose Hill had a dispersal order that was a particularly effective tool at the time. Since that has finished, the individuals themselves have either moved away or stopped what they were doing.

“One of the other things we’re doing is having more meetings, being more visible, and generally having a more joined-up approach.

“Rose Hill at the moment is going through a public consultation trying to determine what the new priorities should be.

“That’s continuing, so the results haven’t come through, but the Pcsos and street wardens who have been carrying out that consultation have told me that people are saying there aren’t too many problems any more. The general feeling is one of optimism.”

Mr Storey admitted the summer holidays would inevitably bring the issue of antisocial behaviour back to the fore, but said he was confident police would be able to deal with it.

He said: “What we did last year was patrol areas we knew were hotspots and we’ll be looking to repeat that this summer.”

Referring to the increase in vehicle theft, Mr Storey added: “The individuals responsible have been arrested numerous times and now we hope they will go before the courts.

“We have done our part.

“I would hope we can reverse that figure and continue the downward trend in all other areas. It’s all very positive.”