Delivering Respect in North Tyneside

Colin BoxshallSafer Estates Manager

How we tackle ASB• Seven local housing patch teams investigate initial reports

of ASB relating to council tenancies.

• Cases are referred to the safer estates team where further action is necessary to resolve the matter.

• 96% of cases are resolved locally without the need for Legal Action

• The safer estates team investigates reports of ASB relating to owner occupies and private rented properties.

• Safer Estates Manager• Five Safer Estates Officers • One Victim Support Officer

• Proactive multi-agency approach – Police key partner• Support for Victims / Witnesses / Perpetrators• Legal Action with a dedicated in-house ASB Barrister• Promote diversionary activities, e.g. ABA’s.

Safer Estates Team

Information exchangeNorthumbria Safer Estates Agreement

• Partnership approach to reducing crime and ASB on housing estates.

• Crime and Disorder Act 1998 – duty to disclose – to prevent and reduce crime and increase community safety

• Protocol to facilitate information exchange, i.e. where Council is seeking legal remedy, e.g. eviction, anti-social behaviour injunction

How it works

• Safer estate meetings – monthly (police/housing)

• Local staff identify problem areas and households

• A strategy to tackle them is jointly agreed (e.g. targeting areas, individuals or households)

• Proactive exchange of information• Making full use of legal powers

Vetting of prospective tenants

Northumbria Police will provide data/information for the purposes of the vetting of prospective tenants, when certain circumstances indicate that it may be prudent to do so. These circumstances are:

• The applicant admits to criminal convictions• There are significant gaps in the housing history• The applicant is known to the organisation in that there is

a previous history of ASB/criminality

Delivering Joint Operations

• Operation Respect

• Respect Roadshows

Aims of Operation Respect

• Targets nuisance households and those who engage in ASB on estates

• In past year operations carried out in Forest Hall, North Shields, Wallsend and Whitley Bay

• Provides confidence and reassurance to communities

• Deterrent to other perpetrators of ASB

These operations target offenders and nuisance neighbours and extend over a number of days, usually between two and five.

• The high visibility 7am visits involve marked Police vehicles and are well received within the community

Impact of Operation Respect

One operation in North Shields illustrates the impact of Operation Respect.

• 31 residents received an early morning visit by the Safer Estates Team and Police.

• Police Community Support Officers and Housing Officers delivered over 1000 joint letters to homes in streets in which a resident had received a warning about their behaviour

• 29 young people promised to change their ways after signing up to ABA’s.

OPERATION RESPECT – SUMMARY

• National recognition

• Highly visible – nuisance neighbours don’t like it

• Solicitor’s letters usually follow

• Gives confidence and reassurance to communities

Respect Roadshows

Partners included:

Police

Victim Support

N2L (Never 2 Late)

Age Concern

Fire Service

Respect Group

Financial Inclusion Team

Sub 21

In 2009/10 the Safer Estates Team and partners visited busy shopping centres in the borough. More than 1000 people visited the Respect Roadshows, which offered advice and support on how to deal with ASB.

Respect Roadshows Outcomes

Respect Group• Spoke to 1000 people and visible to many more

• Completed over 200 Surveys

• Clear views on how to improve the service

• ASB Poster campaign to encourage the

reporting of ASB

• Further development of the Witness

Support Group

• Promote “Keeping you off the streets”

initiative

Civil Remedies

Council’s Tenancy Agreement

Section 10 – Anti-social and criminal behaviour.• You are responsible for the behaviour of

everyone, including children, living in or visiting your home. You are responsible for them in your home and in your neighbourhood

• If you or anyone living with you or visiting your home do any of the things you should not do , this may lead to your eviction

ASB first steps

• Warning letter/interview• Joint visits (police/housing)• Acceptable Behaviour Agreements (ABA’s)• Tenant support services including; mediation.

Drug and alcohol abuse schemes, youth services.

• Intervention including multi-agency working and FIP’s.

ABA’s• 208 people signed up to ABA’s in

2010/11• Youths and adults – all tenures• Candidates identified at local Safer

Estate Meetings (Housing Patch Teams and Neighbourhood Police)

• YOT notified• Police hand deliver Attendance

notices• 85% attendance rate• 14% were breached• Diversionary activities promoted at

surgeries

Legal remedies - civilGrounds for possession:-• An obligation or the tenancy has been broken or not performed.

• The tenant or a person residing in or visiting the dwelling-house:-

(a)Has been guilty of conduct causing or likely to cause a nuisance or annoyance to a person residing, visiting or otherwise engaging in a lawful activity in the locality, or

(b) has been convicted of:-

(1) using the dwelling house or allowing it to be used for immoral or illegal purposes

(2) an arrestable offence committed in, or in the locality of the dwelling house.

1.

Drugs raids Rocket Way Jan 11

Evidence needed• Cases heard in County Court• Council witness statements• Police logs e.g arrests, cautions, convictions, • CCTV evidence• Judge may postpone possession – giving tenant

one more chance.• Absolute possession – tenant must leave

John Walker evicted from

St Marks Court Percy Main

Supporting Private Landlords

The Safer Estates Team support Private Landlords by:-• Giving initial advice to Private Landlords who want to take

action in respect of their tenant who is acting in an anti-social manner.

• Giving advice about the Legal Process to follow.• Keeping Landlords informed of complaints received about

their tenants.• Serving warning letters and legal action notices• Attending court as a witness for possession (eviction)

proceedings.

Housing Act InjunctionsConduct which is;• Capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to any person

living/engaged in a lawful activity in the neighbourhood; and• Directly or indirectly relates to or affects the housing management

functions of the landlord• Where there is a threat of violence of a significant risk of harm the

court may attach a power of arrest to prohibitions or exclude the defendant from any premises or area

• Can be obtained ex-parte • Where a power of arrest is attached must be brought before a

County Court Judge within 24 hours

Anti-Social Behaviour Injunctions (ASBI’s)

In the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012, 27 ASBI’s were obtained by the Council in the County Court.

All ASBI’s were obtained by using Council and Police evidence. No residents were required to attend Court as a witness.

• All persons were subject to Behavioural Zones• 13 were excluded from entering areas in which they

committed ASB• 25 Injunctions had the “Power of Arrest” attached• 14 were initially obtained on a “Without Notice” (ex-parte)

basis with a review hearing, usually within 21 days• 6 were breached and 5 were committed to prison.

Example of ASBI Publicity

Outcomes

North Shields

April 2011/12 compared to April 2010/2011

Total ASB 2858 compared to 3749, reduction of 24% (891 incidents)

Alcohol ASB 540 compared to 608, reduction of 11% (68 incidents)

Youth ASB 968 compared to 1286, reduction of 26% (333 incidents)

Seeking views on anti-social behaviour Increased significantly: 5 percentage points

% Tend to agree % Tend to disagree % Strongly agree % Strongly disagree

Total Agree:

37%

Total Agree:

32%

2011

2008

Q20a. How much would you agree or disagree that the Council and Police seek people's views about crime and anti-social behaviour in your local area? Base: All valid respondents aged 18+ 2011 (1405)

2011

Dealing with anti-social behaviour

Q20b. And how much would you agree or disagree that the Council and Police are successfully dealing with crime and anti social behaviour in your local area? Base: All valid respondents aged 18+ 2011 (1290)

Total Agree:

39%

Total Agree:

33%

Increased significantly: 6 percentage points

2008

% Tend to agree % Tend to disagree % Strongly agree % Strongly disagree

Winner Excellence Partnership Award

Winner Social Landlords Team Award