By Vivienne Russell
7 February 2011
Councils and their local partners will be compelled to act on repeated complaints about antisocial behaviour, ministers have said.
A consultation paper published today outlines a series of new powers and tools for local authorities, police and courts designed to clamp down on antisocial behaviour. This follows a review which concluded that current powers were too bureaucratic and costly and failed to address underlying problems.
One of the proposals would force local agencies to take action on behaviour that has been reported to authorities three times but not been addressed. These ‘Community Triggers’ would also require councils to inform complainants within 14 days of what actions they intend to take.
The paper also proposes scrapping Antisocial Behaviour Orders and replacing them with two new powers. Criminal Behaviour Orders would be issued by the courts after conviction and would, for example, require individuals to take action to deal with their behaviour, such as attending a drug treatment programme. Crime Prevention Injunctions are designed to nip bad behaviour in the bud before it escalates. Breach of the injunction could result in a fine or imprisonment.
Other powers set out in the consultation paper include two levels of Community Protection Orders, which would streamline existing powers. Level 1 would allow councils to stop persistent environmental antisocial behaviour such as graffiti, neighbour noise and dog fouling. Level 2 would require councils and police to work together to tackle more serious disorder and criminality, such as closing down premises being used for drug dealing.
Police would also have ‘direction’ powers, to direct an individual causing or likely to cause crime away from a particular location and to confiscate any offending items.
Home Office minister James Brokenshire said it was time for a ‘new approach’ to antisocial behaviour.
‘This consultation sets out how we propose to tackle this stubborn problem, ensuring the most vulnerable in our communities are protected from the cowards and bullies who carry on in such an offensive manner,’ he said.
‘It is important there is no let-up – local areas must continue to use the most appropriate powers available to them.’
The consultation closes on May 3.
