A top East Renfrewshire cop has urged parents to "know where their children are" following recent anti-social behaviour incidents involving young people in Barrhead.

Inspector Michelle Grant said the issues have primarily focused around specific sites around Main Street.

Local officers are said to be working closely with specialist police resources and partners agencies to address these issues and to find "meaningful solutions to direct young people towards more positive pastimes."

"We are aware of issues in antisocial behaviour incidents involving young people in Barrhead recently and are acutely aware of the disruptive effect this can have on a community," Inspector Grant told the Barrhead News.

“Dedicated patrols are carried out in the area, with officers providing reassurance to the community as well as engaging with young people and discouraging antisocial behaviour.

"It is worth stressing that the vast majority of young people do not come to the attention of police, but we know that a minority do sometimes become involved in anti-social behaviour and their actions can have a negative impact on the lives of local residents."

Inspector Grant also said that local police are committed to encouraging people away from this kind of behaviour and working closely with partners including social work and youth justice.

“We will take appropriate action where incidents are reported, and offenders identified," she added.

“I would also urge parents and guardians to make sure that they know where their children are, who they are associating with and what they are doing.

"Anyone who has concerns about anti-social behaviour in their area is encouraged to contact police by calling 101 as promptly as possible."

Her comments followed a meeting attended by local police, West Scotland MSP Paul O’Kane, East Renfrewshire Council and Asda in which the multi-agency approach to the issue was discussed.

Mr O’Kane, who described the levels of anti-social behaviour in the town as “rising”, said that all parties will be using regular weekly meetings to update each other on anti-social behaviour incidents in the Barrhead area.

“I’m glad to say there is a strong will from all the local bodies to come together on this issue and cooperate,” explained the Scottish Labour politician.

“Regular meetings will be crucial if we’re to understand the true scale of the problem and know exactly where it is happening and why.

“This will be a multi-agency approach and together (we) will work hard to ensure that our streets are safe for everyone who lives in our community.”

East Renfrewshire Council, meanwhile, described the issues involved as "complex and challenging" involving young people "not only from East Renfrewshire but neighbouring authorities." 

"Over the past year, the council, Police Scotland and a range of partners have been working closely on a multi-agency basis," said a spokesperson for the council.

“Partners have invested significant resources to help tackle the root cause of the issues we have seen locally and will continue to do so.

“We are acutely aware that risk-taking and anti-social behaviour among young people has increased across the country, and we remain committed to reducing the impact on our communities and moving the young people concerned onto more positive pathways."