Anti-social behaviour
Anti-social behaviour can be a number of things such as litter, fly-tipping, drinking in the street, nuisance neighbours, noise, abandoned vehicles, threatening behaviour.
Safe Newcastle coordinate the work around anti-social behaviour across the city and the team that deals with issues and complaints. We take different actions against people who commit anti-social behaviour, including the use of Closure Orders for problem premises, Civil Injunctions to prohibit certain behaviours and eviction. We also work with a specialist solicitor when obtaining Civil Injunctions to ensure offenders are more likely to pay for their actions.
Newcastle City Council Share information so that all partners have consistent up-to-date details of victims and offenders and can offer the right support or take the correct action, an example of this is that we offer victims specialist support through a dedicated ASB Victim Support Worker.
The Council operates a noise service. Officers may use the Noise Act 1996 to issue warning notices and £110 fixed penalty notices if your neighbours refuse to turn down their noise. An extension of the Noise Act came into force in February 2008, enabling local authorities in England and Wales to tackle night time noise from licensed premises.
We hold meetings with partners and councillors across the local authority to look at issues of anti-social behaviour in neighbourhoods to ensure that prompt, correct and coordinated responses can be delivered as well as reassuring residents. If you want to find out more about this work, see the Safe Neighbourhoods section on this website
The Community Trigger
Anti-social behaviour (ASB) covers a lot of different types of behaviour and can affect people in many different ways.
For the purpose of the Community Trigger, ASB means behaviour causing or likely to cause nuisance, annoyance, harassment, alarm or distress to any member of the public or which may have a detrimental effect on someone’s quality of life
What is a Community Trigger (ASB Case Review)?
A Community Trigger (also known as an ASB Case Review) is an important statutory safety net for victims and communities experiencing ASB, to request a review of their ASB case and to bring agencies together to take a joined up, problem solving approach to find a solution for the victim(s).
An activation should be made where the threshold is met and where victims are unsatisfied with the response they have received from the relevant agencies.
In essence, the Community Trigger process is designed to put victims at the heart of the case investigation process and for agencies to ensure you feel supported and listened to.
Threshold
In Northumberland and Tyne and Wear, the threshold to activate a Community Trigger is:
- At least three qualifying complaints have been made about anti-social behaviour in the past 6 months and/or;
- The victim(s) of ASB are considered to be ‘high risk'
How to activate a Community Trigger?
In Northumberland and Tyne and Wear, Community Trigger activations across all of the 6 Local Authorities are coordinated by the Northumbria Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (https://northumbria-pcc.gov.uk/asb-community-trigger) who will:
- Acknowledge receipt of your Community Trigger request
- Contact you to discuss your case and obtain further information
- Liaise with the relevant Community Safety Partnerships
- Share information with agencies who are responsible for managing anti social behaviour
- Record and publish relevant data relating to Community Trigger activations
If you meet the threshold for the Community Trigger you can contact the OPCC to raise a request in the following ways:
w: https://northumbria-pcc.gov.uk/community-trigger
e: enquiries@northumbria-pcc.gov.uk
t: 0191 221 9800
a: Community Trigger Activation
Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
Victory House
Balliol Business Park
Benton Lane
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE12 8EW
Publishing data about the Community Trigger
https://northumbria-pcc.gov.uk/community-trigger
Public Spaces Protection Order PSPO
Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) are intended to deal with a nuisance or problem in a particular area that is detrimental to the local community’s qualify of life, by imposing conditions on the use of that area which apply to everyone so that the majority of law-abiding people can use and enjoy our public spaces and be safe from anti-social behaviour.
For more information about PSPO’s and what orders we currently have in place visit the Newcastle City Council website
To report anti-social behaviour phone: YHN Safer Living Team 0191 278 8740 Northumbria Police (non-emergencies): 101 (in emergencies call 999) Newcastle City Council (environmental problems – including fly-tipping, litter, graffiti and noise complaints): 0191 278 7878