Agenda item

The Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services and the Safer Rotherham Partnership Co-ordinator presented the refreshed statutorily required Anti-Social Behaviour Policy and associated Summary of the ASB Policy and Procedures. 

The review took into consideration recent changes in Government thinking and recognised that this may influence future Policy development but captured existing development in Policy since the last review. 

Although there were small “cosmetic” changes to the Policy, the more significant changes were set out in the report submitted.  These had been made to reflect the shift in focus in how victims across all the different strands of anti-social behaviour were dealt with.  The document had also been broken down into 15 sections rather than the previous 11 for ease of locating information.

Discussion ensued on the refreshed Policy with the following issues raised/clarified:-

-        The document needed updating to remove all references to 2010 Rotherham Ltd.

-        The Scrutiny Review carried out in 2006 had recommended strengthening of the Unit to 7 specialist posts.  Although there were not 7 posts there was a collective team working in geographic area.  The expertise was still there

-        There were 6 officers; the number of Police Officers had reduced from 2 to 1.  All were specialist well trained individuals

-        Schools had dedicated officers to pick up on issues of anti-social behaviour 

-        In light of the budget cuts there was a need for closer working arrangements and flexibility between what was left on the ground and increased emphasis on Safer Neighbourhood Teams and Anti-Social Behaviour Officers

-        ASB was 1 of the main priorities for the local authority and Police.  There were significant changes for anti-social behaviour from April with the categorisation reducing from 7 to 3 – personal ASB, environmental ASB and nuisance ASB.  It would be very much down to the interpretation of the person who answered the telephone when it was reported

-        Consideration was to be given as to how to align Neighbourhood Champions with 2010 staff.  As the integration and restructure took place, there may be opportunities to strengthen the roles

-        Of all the types of ASB youth nuisance was the most prevalent followed by excessive noise

-        Acknowledgement that there had been a problem in the past with case management of ASB.  Work was taking place on this issue with the Police.  As part of the restructure consideration was being given to integrating ASB Officers with Housing Champions on a locality basis.  This would give the benefit of specialist advice being on hand

-        With regard to protecting a member of the public who had come forward as a witness, there were opportunities to request special measures but had to be for serious offences where the witnesses would be seen as being at serious risk.  It should be made clear by officers that a witness’s details would be released

-        It was a living document that would continually be updated to keep pace with changing Legislation

-        There had not been direct consultation with victims of crime on an individual basis.  Consultation had been through Victim Support

Resolved:-  That the refreshed Anti-Social Behaviour Policy and required Summary of Policy and Procedures be noted.