ECHO COMMENT: This drugs raid that shows Hester's Way is really on the mend

THE drugs raid carried out yesterday by Cheltenham police in Hester's Way should not be seen as bad news for the area.

In fact, there are three different reasons why the action police took to seize cocaine and cannabis from Scott House is actually positive.

Firstly, the reason that police were aware the drug dealing was happening in the first place was because of information from the community.

People living in the area did not want it to continue and were brave enough and community-minded enough to tell the police.

Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk

myprint-247

View details

Print voucher

Our heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.

Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk

Contact: 01858 468192

Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013

Secondly, the police carried out the raids with the full support of Cheltenham Borough Homes.

It is crucially important that organisations like CBH work with the police to ensure their residents' lives aren't blighted by drug dealers.

But lastly, and most importantly, the public clearly understand that operations like this need to take place and also support them.

If that is the relationship that all the sections of the community in Hester's Way have, the area not only has a chance, it is well on its way.

And for the real proof of that, it's so encouraging that one 50-year-old woman, who remembers regular raids 10 years ago, was surprised that yesterday's happened.

"We are coming up in the world," she said. By working together, there is every chance that is happening.