Blitz on nuisance behaviour
An anti-social behaviour master plan is being developed for Stafford borough in a bid to tackle the problem of nuisance behaviour over the next two years.
An anti-social behaviour master plan is being developed for Stafford borough in a bid to tackle the problem of nuisance behaviour over the next two years.
Three wards will be targeted specifically in the near future - Manor, Penkside and Stonefield and Christchurch - where high levels of nuisance behaviour have been reported.
Anti-social behaviour figures for the borough show that between 1999 when anti-social behaviour orders were introduced and December 2005, 17 Asbos and seven Criminal Asbos - introduced on conviction for a relevant criminal offence - were issued.
Now two policies, one developed by the council and its partners and the second by the police in Chase division, are expected to be formally accepted at a meeting of the council's environment and community safety scrutiny committee this evening.
The council has been developing its plans since a crime audit was carried out in the borough in 2004, highlighting anti-social behaviour as an important area of concern for residents.
In 2005, the most commonly reported anti-social behaviour was defined as "rowdy and inconsiderate", with 837 of 3,420 incidents occurring in town centres.
There were also 597 incidents of "vehicle related nuisance" and 555 neighbourhood disputes.
The comprehensive 29-page document includes a list of the council's main aims and priorities and has been put together by the Responsible Authorities Group (RAG) of the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership.
The group wants to tackle the root causes of anti-social behaviour and encourage a culture of respect in the three priority wards. It aims to tackle Asbo hotspots, reassure the public and work with young people likely to commit anti-social behaviour.
It will be looking at successful methods of controlling nuisance behaviour in other parts of the country and running community projects in the three problem wards.
Andy Buttery of Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, chairman of RAG, said: "Levels of anti-social behaviour in Stafford are low, compared with many other districts, but where it does occur it causes serious distress and makes people feel unsafe in their own homes and communities. It cannot be tolerated and we must continue to take action against it."