THE problems caused by bored, disaffected teenagers are not new. Being bored and disaffected is a phase most young people go through at some stage - and always have done.

When it results in the kind of antisocial behaviour blighting some York communities, however, it is unacceptable. The question is, what to do about it?

Parents have a huge part to play. But if we are really to tackle the problem, a two-pronged carrot and stick approach is needed.

Recently, the police and city council have shown they are willing to use the stick. Stern warning letters have been sent out to parents in Heworth and Huntington, warning of the consequences if they fail to control their offspring.

Meanwhile, the city council looks ready to declare Strensall an alcohol-exclusion zone - giving police powers to arrest anyone drinking in the street.

Both are welcome measures. But a carrot is needed too. If we want to stop young people being bored, we have to make sure there are things for them to do.

The row over a leaflet distributed in Acomb shows we may still have some way to go here.

The leaflet purported to give information about out-of-school activities for young people in the ward.

But Labour councillors claimed it actually revealed just how little there was for them to do.

Liberal Democrats deny that. But whatever the truth of the matter, unless the activities provided are ones young people themselves want to take part in, they will be largely a waste of time.

If we want to eliminate the problems caused by teenage troublemakers, we not only need the police and parents to be stricter, we also need to think long and hard about the kind of leisure provision we make for our young people.