Council Backs Charter To Tackle Antisocial Behaviour | |||||
Promoting the use of a range of good practice measures to combat unruly behaviour
The Council is reinforcing its ongoing commitment to protecting residents from antisocial behaviour, by backing a new Government-supported charter for social landlords. Wandsworth Council has a team of dedicated officers who make it a priority to respond to and resolve reports of antisocial behaviour firmly and as swiftly as possible. By signing up to the Respect ASB (antisocial behaviour) Charter for Housing – a standard run by the Chartered Institute of Housing, Social Landlords Crime and Nuisance Group and Housemark – the town hall’s housing service has reinforced its commitment to taking the following steps: • Demonstrate leadership and strategic commitment. Councillor Paul Ellis, Wandsworth’s housing spokesman, said: “We hope that by further improving our response times to reports of unruly behaviour and by seeking feedback from residents on a more frequent basis about what we have done – and what we can do – to improve our services, we can effectively tackle any antisocial behaviour-related problems in our communities and estates. “People engaging in this kind of behaviour do nothing other than make life miserable for others – and this will not be tolerated.” The town hall launched a housing survey on antisocial behaviour in January – and the housing department will now regularly survey residents who report incidents. The council remains committed to enforcing a range of measures designed to tackle incidents of antisocial behaviour including refusing or cancelling an application for housing where it is found that someone has been antisocial and conducting estate and block inspections to identify and resolve related problems. It will also continue to hold regular meetings between partner agencies who have a responsibility to help curb incidents of antisocial behaviour – including the Anti Social Behaviour Unit, housing associations, police and the council’s legal services. Under the town hall’s current tenancy agreement, council tenants can face eviction proceedings if they cause a nuisance or interfere with the peace, comfort or convenience of local residents. They may also lose their home if they engage in certain criminal activities such as vandalising or damaging council or other local peoples’ property, using violence or harassing people in the local area or using their property for an illegal purpose.
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