Police Forced to Deal with Anti Social Neighbours

The Conservative Party has long insisted that it intends to be tough on so-called anti-social behaviour. In opposition they frequently criticised Labour for what they saw as their failings in this area. Now, in coalition government, they have begun to set out plans that they say will tackle anti-social behaviour – and they are starting with problem neighbours.

What is the government proposing?

Theresa May has outlined plans for new community powers to tackle problem neighbours. The plans were originally set out in a Home Office consultation document at the beginning of 2011, but have now been presented by the Home Secretary in a speech in central London.

The centrepiece of the plans is a new “community trigger” which the government believes will give people more power to act against anti-social behaviour amongst their neighbours.

The community trigger is a new way of guaranteeing action against problem neighbours. The trigger would be ‘pulled’ when five separate households in the same area all complained about the same resident. If this were to occur, the relevant authorities would be legally compelled to act.

It is thought that the trigger could also be invoked if the behaviour of the supposed problem neighbour had been reported to the relevant agencies at least three times, and no action had been taken.

The government says that the trigger, in tandem with new measures like the increased availability of information about local crime, will help ensure that anti-social behaviour and problem neighbours are dealt with quickly, and in a manner that takes into consideration the wishes of those affected.

Why has Theresa May made this announcement?

The government has been planning changes to the powers given to agencies for some time. It is thought that the coalition believes anti-social behaviour and problem neighbours are potentially significant vote-winners, and the Home Office has been drafting new plans accordingly.

The Home Secretary also cited the case of a woman who “had been telling the police about anti-social behaviour in her area for over two years, and it’s still going on.”

Mrs May continued: “These long-running problems, and the sense of helplessness that goes with them, can destroy a victim’s quality of life and shatter a community’s trust in police.”

How have people reacted?

The plans have been met with a mixed response. Some commentators have welcomed the plans, suggesting that they will in fact make it easier for communities to force action on problem neighbours.

Others, though, are concerned about the practical implications. Since the beginning of the consultation on the new plans, there has been fevered discussion about the impact on members of Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs). CSPs are essentially the groups of agencies charged with preventing crime and making sure that communities remain safe places to live. CSPs include agencies like the local authority.

It is the CPSs that will be obliged to act when the community trigger is invoked. There has been concern that this will place undue pressure on these agencies. Prosecutors and the Courts Service will be exempted from responsibilities under the trigger arrangement.

It is also worth noting that the government intends to provide CSPs with a lot of leeway when it comes to their operation and interpretation of the trigger. The consultation document suggests that the government would provide agencies with best practice guidelines, but that choices regarding things like how best to publicise the trigger would be left up to the relevant local bodies.

The plans have also been met with little enthusiasm from Labour MPs. Shadow Home Office minister Gloria DePiero said the plans are “belated and weak”, suggesting that they do not go far enough.

What happens next?

The trigger is now going to be trialled in five areas around the country. If it is deemed successful, it is thought that the community trigger will be rolled out across the country.

The consultation on anti-social behaviour has now closed, and the criteria for success are not clear. The Home Secretary has not said how it will be determined whether or not the scheme should continue. But the high profile nature of her speech suggests that it is a policy the government intends to back.

How can I take action against problem neighbours?

In the meantime, of course, many people are still struggling with problem neighbours and anti-social behaviour. If you are suffering, you should remember that you don’t need to suffer in silence. There is information on dealing with problem neighbours throughout this site – and, in the worst cases, you should contact your local authority or police.