POWERS to ban gang members from entering estates, walking with dogs in public and even wearing certain 'gang' colours will come into force next month, the Government announced in Leytonstone today.

Home Office Minister James Brokenshire visited the newly opened Waltham Forest Construction Training Centre in Hollydown Way this morning to launch the 'gang injunctions' scheme, which combines many of the elements of ASBOs and dispersal orders.

The minister's visit comes following a year of high-profile violence in the borough, including 18 stabbings in Leytonstone alone, and the centre is just streets from where 14-year-old Paul Erhahon was murdered by three gang members in 2007.

Police forces and local authorities can apply to the High Court for the injunctions, which can include various types of bans on individuals as well as forcing them to attend drug treatment courses and mentoring programmes for up to two years.

Speaking to the Guardian, Mr Brokenshire said: “It's clear that there are gang issues in this borough but the work the council and police are doing is really positive. Gang injunctions give another opportunity to tackle this and also to provide preventative measures.

“These powers will...place tough conditions on the behaviour of individuals involved in gang-related violence and will provide strong support to those who want to leave violent groups.”

Mr Brokenshire said he was confident Waltham Forest Police would be able to make progress on the issue, despite budget cuts of four and five per cent over the next two years.

He said: “We have made it very clear that efficiencies can be made without impacting on front-line services.”

Council leader Chris Robbins said he would “wait and see” before making a judgement on the effectiveness of the scheme.

He said: “As one of our youth workers said, if we're still using these injunctions in three years time then they won't have worked. But I think it's important to come up with new ideas to try and keep one step ahead of the gangs.”

Head of Waltham Forest CID, superintendent Adrian Hutchinson, said progress was being made.

When asked if gang injunctions had the potential to push crime to other areas as with dispersal orders, he said: “If it was this legislation alone then I can see that point, but this is happening alongside a wraparound of projects that the [police and council's] partnership is working on.”

The legislation, which was passed in Parliament last year, only applies to over 18s but a pilot scheme for 14 to 17 year olds is due to run in 2011.

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