Anti-social behaviour

Dealing with Anti-Social Behaviour on our Housing Estates

A summary of our policy and procedure

Introduction

This leaflet summarises how Lewes District Council works together with tenants and other agencies to tackle anti-social behaviour on our housing estates.

The tenants’ leaflet along with the full version of this policy and procedure are available below:

 Guide to dealing with Anti-Social Behaviour on our Housing Estates (404.09kb, hsg_antisocial_guide.pdf)

 A Summary of our Policy and Procedure: Dealing with Anti-Social Behaviour on our Housing Estates (172.82kb, hsg_antisocial_dealingwith.pdf)

Why have a policy and procedure?

Lewes District Council recognises that neighbour disputes, harassment and anti-social behaviour disrupt the lives of many people.  As a landlord we have a legal and moral responsibility to our tenants to work together with them to tackle anti-social behaviour on our housing estates.

These are some of the problems most often complained about:

• Excessive household noise
• Using and selling drugs
• Persistent loud music and parties
• Harassment and intimidation
• Racial abuse
• Threats of violence
• Arguing, shouting and foul language

What is our policy?

“Where a person’s or group’s behaviour unreasonably interferes with a tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment of his or her home or adversely affects the quality of life of a local community, the Council will have in place procedures to tackle the behaviour, take action against the offenders and support and protect the victims.” 

How do we carry out our policy?

We have in place a procedure to tackle anti-social behaviour by working with other agencies such as the police, social services, environmental health and other council departments. The procedure was developed in partnership with our tenants in 2002.

Our procedure complies with the Council’s strategy for dealing with nuisance and anti-social behaviour on Council estates, and with the relevant government legislation and protocols.

To make sure we’re effective in what we do the procedure includes standards and targets that are monitored and evaluated regularly.  In 2005 the procedure is due to be reviewed.

What is our procedure?

Our procedure is broken down into two sections - a strategy for preventing anti-social behaviour and a procedure for dealing with reported incidents. 

1. Strategy for Prevention
This outlines the actions we will take to reduce the incidence of anti-social behaviour. We will:

General

• Participate in the Community Safety Partnership
• Liaise closely with tenants’ groups and the Tenants Federation
• Agree inter-departmental procedures for tackling anti-social behaviour
• Develop effective partnerships with other agencies and community organisations
• Negotiate multi-agency partnership agreements and joint working practices
• Meet regularly with designated police officers from the Community Problem Solving Teams
• Promote a witness support scheme in conjunction with Victim Support
• Publicise successful legal actions

When considering Rehousing & Transfer Applications

• Apply local lettings policies to achieve more stable communities
• Apply a sensitive letting policy to people with support needs who may be vulnerable to harassment
• Allocate properties taking into account the potential nuisance risk posed by the applicants

Advise tenants on their responsibilities and remedies

• Fully explain the anti-social behaviour clauses in the tenancy agreement during tenancy sign-ups
• Give advice and information on what is anti-social behaviour and how tenants can combat it
• Give advice and information on what the Council can and cannot do to combat nuisance
• Give advice and information on issues such as crime prevention
• Provide information at our Fort Road reception on agencies that offer support, such as drugs projects and the Citizens’ Advice Bureau

Practical measures in our properties

• Where possible we will take crime prevention into account when planning improvements or carrying out repairs to our properties

Training for staff

• Ensure that all Housing Officers are trained in dealing with anti-social behaviour

Monitor our effectiveness

• Collect data on behalf of partner agencies to measure the effectiveness of our joint working approaches
• Invite tenants’ comments on the process by using a customer feedback form

2.  Procedure for dealing with reported incidents
This outlines the standard process followed by our Housing Officers when dealing with a report of anti-social behaviour. 

The process is flexible because different types of anti-social behaviour require different approaches and there is a large range of possible remedies.  A framework is provided by a flow chart, which shows the decision-making process including target response times.

This section also includes detailed guidance on the different remedies available, for example mediation and anti-social behaviour orders. 

At all times throughout the process the person who complained will be kept informed of any planned action, when it might happen and possible resolutions.  Details of any meetings held will be confidential.

What if the outcome is not felt to be satisfactory?

Lewes District Council will investigate all complaints of anti-social behaviour and monitor all action taken: to help us, we ask tenants to fill in a feedback form.  If anyone involved is unhappy with how we dealt with their complaint or with the outcome, they can go through the Council’s Complaints Procedure.