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Guidance for tackling ASB

from "UK Landlord" magazine, May 2008

Councils and housing associations have been encouraged to take a greater role in clamping down on crime and anti-social behaviour by the department of Communities & Local Government which has recently issued guidance for social landlords.

The guidance document raises the status of Registered Social Landlords to 'co-operating bodies', meaning they will be asked to share their knowledge of anti-social and criminal behaviour with members of the Government's Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) to help make a dent in anti-social behaviour.

The aim is to create a culture in which organisations like police, councils and housing associations seek to work collectively on issues of crime and safety including drinking in public, youth gangs, truancy and drug taking, as Communities Secretary Hazel Blears explains: "Our guidance will support social landlords to engage with other key agencies to help tackle anti-social behaviour wherever and whenever it occurs. It will help deliver quicker, more effective actions, and in turn, increase tenants' confidence in coming forward to report problems."

Individual housing associations can decide at a local level on various initiatives to tackle the issues. Successful work includes a project to disperse groups of youths congregating in public spaces by providing youth clubs and activities for young people in East Finchley, and Kent and Medway Social Landlords Anti-Social Behaviour Group have been working with the police on joint initiatives in the local area.

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