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Latest News Archive
Portsmouth FC triumph at the Bridge
3rd of April 2013
Portsmouth FC may be struggling in the league but they scooped the Kickz Delivery at Stamford Bridge yesterday. The group, who arrange football and drama sessions for 12-18 year-olds, won the award because they regularly consult with youngsters on what activities they would like to see in their area.
To read the full story, please click here
Councils to receive funding to help combat social housing fraud
3rd of April 2013
Housing Minister Mark Prisk today confirmed that 62 councils will benefit from a share of 9.5 million pounds to bolster their activity to crack down on social housing fraud.
To read the full story, please click here
To see the list of the 62 councils and their allocation, please click here
New Glasgow team aims to stop anti-social behaviour
2nd of April 2013
GHA has launched a new squad of 28 Enforcement Officers to crack down on residents who litter and vandalise their neighbourhoods. Working in GHA communities across the city, the team will work closely with GHA’s partners, including Glasgow City Council, to take action against tenants who are found breaching their tenancy agreement by committing low-level anti-social behaviour.
That includes residents who:
• let their dogs foul in the street or in backcourts
• drop litter
• don’t put their rubbish in the designated place
• graffiti or vandalise property.
To read the full story, please click here
Revised Victims Code - a consultation
2nd of April 2013
Under a revised Victims Code that was launched over the Easter weekend, all victims of crime will be given the right to make a victim personal statement and to receive information about restorative justice.
Less welcome, however, is the continuing concentration on the Criminal Justice System which means there is no provision for the needs of vulnerable victims of antisocial behaviour where the behaviour is not categorised as criminal and/or resolution is being pursued through the civil courts.
The consultation runs until 10 May 2013.
For more information, please click here
Study to assess impact of troubled families work
26th of March 2013
The impact of councils’ troubled families programmes will be independently assessed by a consortium of independent research groups, led by Ecorys. The study will look in detail at:
• the families who receive interventions and what changes they have made
• how local authorities are choosing to work with troubled families and which ways are most successful
• and cost savings that have been made for the taxpayer
The evaluation contract will run from 2013 to 2016 and will produce regular interim reports and its findings will be made public.
To read more, please click here
New definition for Domestic Violence takes effect
25th of March 2013
The change extending the definition of domestic violence to include young people aged 16 and 17 will be implemented from 31 March 2013. The new wording also captures coercive control.
Members are encouraged to review their guidance and policies on domestic violence to ensure they reflect the change in definition
To view the definition, please refer to the Home Office website at http://homeoffice.gov.uk/crime/violence-against-women-girls/domestic-violence/
City West shares secrets of its success in tackling ASB
21st of March 2013
City West Housing Trust shared its success in tackling ASB with an influential national audience of housing organisations and ASB practitioners.
The housing trust, which manages 14,600 homes in West Salford, hosted more than 20 organisations (Tuesday March 19) at a regional event to discuss the causes of, and solutions to, ASB in local communities.
Delegates were all members of the national Social Landlords Crime and Nuisance Group, and included social landlords from across the North West.
To read more, please click here
101 calls to police go unanswered
8th of March 2013
Hundreds of thousands of phone calls to the new police non-emergency 101 number are going unanswered according to figures obtained by the BBC after a Freedom of Information Act request
Callers hung up or were disconnected before a reply 496,000 times between January and October 2012 - 4% of calls.
To read the full story from the BBC, please click here
Public to get clearer picture of how crime is recorded
5th of March 2013
More crime recording categories are being introduced including a 'community resolution' category to recognise the community penalties that criminals receive. Some forces already submit this data voluntarily, but from April 2013 all forces will be required to.
To read more, please click here
Boost for employment prospects of troubled families
5th of March 2013
The Department for Work andPensions and the Department for Communities and Local Government have agreed a package to boost the employment prospects of troubled families.
To read more, please click here
Policing ASB could be dramatically improved
1st of March 2013
ACPOs ASB lead says the draft ASB Bill proposals are “practical, positive, reasonable and balanced”. Its written feedback to the white paper said: “The bill proposes a simplified and consolidated process for dealing with anti-social behaviour taking into account the shortcomings of the existing tools currently available and recommending more streamlined and seemingly less bureaucratic methods of tackling these issues with the emphasis on localisation.
“In short, the de-cluttering of the intervention landscape will increase the likelihood of positive outcomes, using a reduced number of powers, with potential gains in terms of efficiency and effectiveness.”
To read the full story, please click here
Mexxy, Black Mamba and other 'legal highs' become Class B drugs
28th of February 2013
A number of so-called 'legal highs' including Black Mamba and Mexxy became illegal Class B drugs today.
Following advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, new synthetic cannabinoids (such as those contained in Black Mamba and Annihilation), O-desmethyltramadol, methoxetamine (sold as Mexxy) and similar compounds have been classified under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
To read the full story, please click here
Latest violence figures released
26th of February 2013
Latest official figures show that there were 2.1 million violent incidents in 2011-12; that is half of the1995 peak figure.
With regard to sexual and domestic violence, the 2011/12 survey showed there were 536,000 victims of sexual assault in the last year and 2.0 million of domestic abuse; there has been no statistically significant change since 2008/09.
To download the statistical release from the ONS, please click here
PCC elections failed candidates and voters
25th of February 2013
A new poll shows that only 11% of respondents know the name of their PCC.
Commissioned by the Electoral Reform Society the poll says that “Government mismanagement has handed our elected Commissioners a poisoned chalice, and it remains unclear how they can overcome it.”
There are, it says, lessons to be learnt and to be implemented for the next PCC election:
1 Never hold another election in the winter months which discourages people from turning out
2 Never leave voters in the dark about who or what they are voting for – ensure information on candidates is provided in mailings to voters.
3 Ensure a level playing field for candidates through well-designed election rules.
To download the report, please click here
Priorities for tackling substance misuse in Wales 2013-15 published
21st of February 2013
The Welsh Government has outlined its priorities for tackling substance misuse between 2013-15.
Actions over the coming three years include the development of a specific route to treatment for veterans, a plan for responding to the threat of new and emerging trends in substance misuse and better integrated care pathways for substance misuse service users.
The details are set out in Working Together to Reduce Harm the third delivery plan of the Welsh Government’s 10 year Substance Misuse Strategy.
Tenant who threatened neighbour is evicted
20th of February 2013
A Sheffield tenant faces eviction next month for verbally abusing and threatening a neighbour in January 2012. During the same incident, she also assaulted a police officer.
The tenant’s associates had wreaked havoc in the area, harassing neighbours with homophobic verbal abuse, threatening behaviour and insulting language. On one occasion they threatened to slit a neighbour’s throat. Numerous other offences in the area, including theft from vehicles and shoplifting.
At the possession hearing on 13th February, the Court ordered the tenant to leave the property on or before 12th March 2013; she was also told to pay the Council’s costs of £4127.
To read more, please click here
Home Office experts visit GHA safety partnership
20th of February 2013
A high-level team of experts from the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police visited Glasgow to learn how GHA is making communities safer. Representatives from the Home Office’s Violent and Youth Crime Prevention Unit and the Met’s Trident Gang Unit visited GHA’s Community Improvement Partnership.
To read the full story, please click here
First meeting of new CJS Board
19th of February 2013
A new board set up to improve the CJS meets next week for the first time. It includes a PCC and a senior judge.
To read the full BBC report, please click here
Policing powers to be devolved to Wales says First Minister
18th of February 2013
Policing, community safety and crime prevention powers, including ASB, should be devolved to the Welsh Government in order to strengthen joint working with devolved services and reduce offending. The call to do so was made by the First Minister in a submission to the UK Government’s Commission on Devolution in Wales (The Silk Commission).
To read the full story, please click here
Possession of property granted after tenant causes explosion
15th of February 2013
East Durham Homes has taken firm action against a tenant found storing and cultivating cannabis in the property. East Durham Homes were granted possession of the property on the 17 January 2013.
To read the full story, please click here
Don't devalue the gold standard
15th of February 2013
The SLCNG has welcomed the positive recognition of housing providers in the report published today by the Home Affairs Committee on its pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft ASB Bill,. But it has also cautioned that the Committee’s recommendations for amending the Injunction to Prevent Nuisance and Annoyance (IPNA) risk blunting its effectiveness.
Home Affairs Committee to publish its report tomorrow
14th of February 2013
The Home Affairs Committee has agreed its report on the draft Anti-social Behaviour Bill.The Committee will publish its report on the draft Anti-social Behaviour Bill: Pre–legislative scrutiny on Friday 15 February 2013.
The fiscal case for working with troubled families
13th of February 2013
A new publication by the DCLG details the fiscal analysis that informed the government decision to commit to the Troubled Families programme. It explains how public money is being spent on troubled families and the degree to which this money is merely reacting to the problems of these families, rather than targeting their needs. It concludes that the government will spend an estimated £9 billion per year on these families over the Spending Review period (2010 to 2015).
To read the report, please click here
Youth and child crime rates fall in Wales
13th of February 2013
Official figures show that the number of children and young people involved in crime in Wales getting caught up in crime is continuing to fall.
Figures released by Youth Justice Board Cymru show, for example, that in Swansea alone the number has fallen over the last decade from 2,044 incidents to 428 last year.
The decline is attributed to targeting children likely to get into trouble such as those starting to play truant. Swansea Youth Offending Service is regarded as one of the leaders in the field using a restorative justice system that is being followed by others.
Overall figures for Wales show 2,770 fewer young people involved in crime in 2011-12 - down to 7,408 compared with 10,181 in 2010-11
To read the BBC report in full, please click here
PCCs to form early intervention group to reduce youth offending
13th of February 2013
A group of six PCCs are to work closely with the Early Intervention Foundation to help them produce early intervention plans. It is hoped that the group of PCCs will share their knowledge of early intervention with fellow PCCs.
The Early Intervention Foundation comprises a consortium of organisations and is expected to launch next month having recently signed a contract [on 5 February 2013] with the Department for Education.
The Early Intervention Foundation will:
- Assess what programmes work – to determine both the best Early Interventions and their relative value for money.
- Translate this into practical, evidence-based Advice to local commissioners, service providers and others.
- Advocate for Early Intervention as a serious alternative to "expensive and ineffective late intervention".
Raglan Housing confirmed for specialist refuge service
11th of February 2013
Raglan Housing is to continue working in partnership with Bedford and Central Bedfordshire Councils to provide services at a Women's Refuge specialising in helping Asian women suffering from domestic abuse. To read more, please click here
Compulsory microchipping for dogs in England
7th of February 2013
The Government is bringing in compulsory microchipping for all dogs in England from 6 April 2016. Each year more than 100,000 dogs are dumped or lost at a cost of £57 million to the taxpayer and welfare charities.
To read more, please click here
Scotland - all private sector landlords must providee tenancy information packs from May
5th of February 2013
The Scottish Government is to implement the introduction of a tenant information pack in the private rented sector from 1 May 2013 Subject to Parliamentary procedure, which will be complete by 17 March.
The pack expressly states that one of the landlord’s main duties is “ To take action to address any antisocial behaviour by their tenants in and around the property.”
The tenant information pack is available to view on the Scottish Government website. The pack, and background information on what its introduction means for landlords, agents and tenants, can be viewed at: www.scotland.gov.uk/tenant/info
The regulations can be viewed at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2013/20/contents/made
Expansion of support for vulnerable families
4th of February 2013
A programme to deliver intensive support to families with complex needs has been established in the Western Bay area covering Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea local authorities and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board.
Integrated Family Support Services aim to keep families together by helping them to take positive steps to change and improve their lives. There are indications that it is already making a real difference to children and families in Wales where the impact of parental substance misuse is felt.
To read the full story, please click here
4th of February 2013
The online crime mapping website has been expanded to enable citizens to make their own personalised crime maps. The new Draw Your Own Area function on the Police.uk website means that visitors to the website can plot a precise area to create their own crime map.
To read more, please click here
Welsh Government determined to help most vulnerable families
31st of January 2013
The Welsh Government is creating an integrated, whole-family approach to supporting families in Wales. The approach will require all local authorities to operate a ‘team around the family’ model, which encourages organisations to work together to assist families and help them address the breadth of challenges they can face.
The Welsh Government is providing £42 million during 2012 -13 for the programme, with the figure set to increase to £43.4 million in 2013-14.
To read the full story, please click here.
Drug grower who intimidated a community is evicted
30th of January 2013
A drug grower who cultivated a cannabis farm in her social housing home and regularly fought in the street - on one occasion wielding a hammer - has been evicted.
The tenant fashioned an image of fear by regularly fighting and arguing outside her house, leaving tenants too afraid to testify against her for fear of repercussions.
To read the full story, please click here
Reports of disability hate crime treble in Blackpool
24th of January 2013
Reports of disability hate crime have trebled in one area of the country after the Government worked with a local charity to encourage disabled people to come forward. The use of 'third party reporting centres' has seen the number of incidents reported in Blackpool treble to 36 since the project began.
To read the full story, please click here
Crime Prevention Minister visits RHP
22nd of January 2013
Crime Prevention Minister, Jeremy Browne, visited Richmond Housing Partnership (RHP) this week to learn more about its work to reduce ASB. Mr Browne was particularly interested in how the Community Trigger works in practice.
To read the full story, please click here
Circle 33 acts to close drugs dens
11th of January 2013
Two suspected crack dens in Islington have been closed down after action by Circle 33 Housing Trust and Islington Council who worked with the police to secure Drug Closure Orders on the properties in Finsbury Park. The steps were taken after local people voiced concerns about drug-taking at the flats.
To read the full story, please click here
KHT's ASB service receives top commendation
10th of January 2013
Knowsley Housing Trust has been accredited by the leading national framework for good practice in tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour. KHT, part of the First Ark Group, has received the accreditation from HouseMark and the Social Landlords Crime and Nuisance Group.
To read more, please click here
Less crime, fewer victims, safer communities
9th of January 2013
Justice Secretary, Chris Grayling has announced today that all offenders, including those serving less than 12 months, will be subject to mandatory supervision and tailored rehabilitation on release from prison.
Further plans set out in the 'Transforming Rehabilitation' consultation paper include:
•A greater use of mentors to meet offenders at the prison gate and support them in the community
•Only paying in full for services that are proven to work at reducing re-offending
•Opening up rehabilitation services to a much wider range of providers, who are free to innovate and do the things that work to turn offenders' lives around
To read the full consultation paper, please click here
TPAS appointed to deliver the national Tenant Empowerment Programme
7th of January 2013
The Tenant Training and Support Programme, to give residents the advice and training they may need to hold their landlords to account, will be led by TPAS in partnership with the National Federation of Tenant Management Organisations, Tenants and Residents Organisations of England, and the Confederation of Cooperative Housing. TPAS will also be working closely with HouseMark, Make It Happen, and the Co-regulatory Champions to deliver the programme.
As a partnership approach the programme will be launched under the name of ‘Tenant Central’ with a dedicated website and online learning resources.
To find out more, please clickhere
New support to tackle gang and youth violence
2nd of January 2013
An additional half a million pounds to help communities confront the problem of youth violence has been announced. The support is targetted at young people at risk of becoming violent offenders and those already involved in gang and knife crime, to encourage them onto a different path.
The Home Office also announced that it will expand its Ending Gang and Youth Violence frontline team to cover four more priority areas including Merton.
To read the story in full, please click here
New scheme launched to provide UK wide protection for witnesses
2nd of January 2013
Witnesses and other vulnerable people whose lives could be at risk are to receive enhanced UK-wide protection and support.
People afforded protected person status due to a real and immediate risk to their lives will receive expert protection from a national service to support those who help bring criminals to justice. Victims and witnesses of the Morecambe Bay disaster in Lancashire, witnesses to the murder of Rhys Jones and also to gun and gang crime such as Operation Trident are just some of the individuals who have been afforded Protected Person status in the past.
To read the full story, please click here
Injunctions call time on alcohol nuisance
2nd of January 2013
Liverpool Mutual Homes has obtained injunctions against two tenants who made their neighbours lives a misery by using their homes as drinking dens.
To read the full story from Dash24 please click here
First landlords registration scheme for England
2nd of January 2013
The BBC reports that Newham Council is the first local authority in England to introduce a compulsory system of landlord registration for private landlords.
To read the full report from the BBC, please click here
ASB accreditation for Tamworth and Radian
20th of December 2012
SLCNG and HouseMark are proud to announce that another two organisations have achieved ASB accreditation. Both organisations are very well deserving: Tamworth is the first ARCH stock-retained council to achieve such recognition and Radian has helped to reduce crime in some areas of Hampshire by up to 59 per cent.
For information about ASB accreditation, please click here
Fixed-term tenancies provide good opportunity to tackle ASB
18th of December 2012
Introducing fixed-term tenancies for all new tenants, except those moving to sheltered housing, enables Bristol to intervene at the earliest possible stage when antisocial behaviour occurs. That’s the view of Bristol’s cabinet member for housing, property and regeneration, Anthony Negus.
To read the full article by Mr. Negus, please click here
Home at risk for lady who conned the elderly
18th of December 2012
A carer for the elderly, previously jailed for stealing from clients is facing tough action from her landlord, Marches Housing Association. The woman victimised clients of her former employer to feed a heroin habit.
To read more, please click here
Radian putting an end to ASB
17th of December 2012
Radian has launched a campaign to tackle Anti-Social Behaviour across the South of England and is asking for residents’ help to identify cases for Radian to investigate.
To rerad the full story, please click here
First property rental ASBO against 'slum landlord'
17th of December 2012
A landlord fined £28,000 for leaving properties in Dickensian squalor is now facing an ASBO banning him from renting accommodation out to tenants. The landlord is now due to reappear before Plymouth magistrates on 04 January following the application by Plymouth Council for an ASBO against a landlord to stop him renting to tenants.
To read the report from Inside Housing, please click here
Louise Casey calls for family intervention approach
17th of December 2012
The head of the Troubled Families programme has endorsed family intervention as the most effective way to turn problem families around and help them get on in life.
Following a look at the evidence, alongside consultation with practitioners and families themselves, Louise Casey has published a new report that shows the life-changing results that good family intervention can have, along with a guide to best practice.
The ‘Working with Troubled Families’ report outlines that family intervention reduces:
• involvement in anti-social behaviour by 59%
• involvement in crime by 45%
• truancy, exclusion, bad behaviour at school by 52%
To read more from the Gov.UK website on this, please click here
See also SLCNG Member Bulletin 494 available in 'library' in the members section of this website
Young film makers create films to tackle bullies
14th of December 2012
A group of young film makers from Birmingham-based Optima Community Association, part of WM Housing Group, has produced a series of short films to teach them how to stand up to bullies. The youngsters, aged 10 to 14 years old, created You Took My Smile Away, Stand Up To Bullies and Talking About Bullying after a series of workshops.
To read more, plesae click here
Judicial Review consultation
13th of December 2012
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling is seeking views on a package of measures to stem the growth in applications for judicial reviews. There were 11,200 applications last year, compared to just 160 in 1974 – and of last year's decided applications only 1,200 (one in six) were deemed suitable for a Judicial Review to go ahead.
To read more, please click here
Welsh Government's Domestic Abuse Christmas campaign launched
13th of December 2012
In Wales a publicity campaign has been launched which highlights how Christmas can often be a catalyst for domestic abuse to escalate in families where there is already a cycle of abuse.
To find out more, please click here
asra cracks down on drugs nuisance
13th of December 2012
asra Housing Group has closed two drugs dens after taking decisive action in separate parts of the country.
In Southall, London, asra’s local delivery team secured the eviction of two drug dealers who were causing misery to their neighbours
And working with the police in Leicestershire, asra was able to close down a cannabis farm due to the diligence of its
To read more on these stories, please click on the following links – London - Leicestershire
ASB draft bill and Community Remedy launched
13th of December 2012
Plans to introduce a Community Remedy have been unveiled today. The new power will allow victims to choose from a list of punishment options, agreed with their local police and crime commissioner (PCC).
Also published today is the draft bill setting out all of the Government’s antisocial behaviour reforms. The draft bill will now be scrutinised by the Home Affairs Select Committee, ahead of their report next year.
To read more from the Home Office on this, please click here
See also SLCNG Member Bulletin 493 available in 'library' in the members section of this website
Real Neighbours Win 2012 'Be Proud' Award
12th of December 2012
Congratulations to the winners of the community project of the year category, Willow Park and Parkway Green, in the 2012 Be Proud Awards.
‘Real Neighbours Wythenshawe’ is a joint project across the two housing trusts in Wythenshawe with around 250 local people registered to volunteer in the community. The project offers training opportunities and boosts confidence and self-esteem. It also links in with other groups and agencies as well as improving community relationships
To find out more, please click here
Racist Incidents Recorded by the Police in Scotland, 2011-12
11th of December 2012
Figures published today show that the number of racist incidents recorded by the police in Scotland in the last year has increased from 4,911 to 5,389.
The main findings are:
- The number of racist incidents has increased for the first time in five years with 5,389 incidents recorded in 2011-12, 10% higher than the 4,911 incidents recorded in 2010-11.
- There were 6,472 crimes recorded as part of a racist incident in 2011-12, an increase of 5% on the 6,173 recorded in 2010-11.
- Of those who were victims of a racist incident, 34% were aged 26 to 35 years, compared to 13% who were aged 20 or under. Males were more likely to be a victim of a racist incident (17 per 10,000 population) than females (6 per 10,000 population).
- In 2011-12, where ethnic origin of the victim was known, 44% of victims were of Asian origin, the largest group being Pakistani (23%). The second largest ethnic group of victims of racist incidents in 2011-12 was White British.
- In 2011-12, 40% of perpetrators of racist incidents were aged 20 or under.
To download the full report, please click here
PCCs to join forces with early intervention experts
11th of December 2012
PCCs are being invited to work with early intervention experts to widen the use of successful preventative projects for young people, under plans being considered by the government. The scheme, which is the brainchild of Labour MP Graham Allen, will see a group of 10 PCCs given access to early intervention experts, who will provide the new commissioners with advice and guidance on how best to prevent youth offending.
To read the full report from CYP Now please click here
A1 ASB team
11th of December 2012
A1 Housing is tackling ASB head on with a specialist team, which is now working alongside Bassetlaw District Council and Nottinghamshire Police.
A1 Housing's Managing Director, Bernard Coleman said: "These new ASB posts are the first step towards the development of a joined up service between A1 Housing, Bassetlaw District Council and Nottinghamshire Police to deal with ASB in the district."
To read the report from the Guardian, pleae click here
Minister's support for early intervention
10th of December 2012
The Crime Prevention Minister pledged his support for early intervention and called on the new PCCs to work with other agencies besides the police.
Speaking in a parliamentary debate last week, Jeremy Browne MP was invited to ‘encourage examples of early intervention and promote it ……… to get some standardisation into the programmes ……..to help make such arrangements an everyday feature of policing by the end of the first term of the first police commissioners.’
Mr Browne said “The evidence is compelling” and expressed his hope that PCCs will “drive a public debate within communities about what can be done to tackle the sorts of crime that MPs hear about every day—lower-level crime, vandalism, antisocial behaviour, late-night noise and graffiti. I hope that they will be interested in all those issues, as well as in more serious crimes such as domestic violence and burglary.”
To read a transcript of the debate, please click here
Viridian cracks down on squatting in new ITV1 documentary
6th of December 2012
SLCNG member, Viridian Housing, features in a new television documentary which goes out tonight on ITV1 at 9pm. The documentary highlights the detrimental impact squatting can have on landlords and examines how the change in the law will impact on the current situation faced by both squatters and landlords.
To find out more, plesae click here
WOLVERHAMPTON HOMES SIGNS UP TO BE A 'SAFE PLACE'
4th of December 2012
Wolverhampton Homes has become a safe place as part of its year-long campaign to raise awareness of hate crime.
The Safe Places scheme shows learning disabled people where they can expect trained staff who can deal with their concerns. Staff at Wolverhampton Homes are now trained to support learning disabled people if they have been harassed or threatened.
Disruptive families face rehousing in caravans
4th of December 2012
Anti-social families in Amsterdam face being moved into caravans in isolated parts of the city, under a tough new scheme being introduced in Amsterdam in the new year.
To read the full story from the Irish Times, click here
New penalties for scrap metal dealers take effect
3rd of December 2012
From today metal dealers will no longer be able to trade in cash and will face tougher sanctions for rogue trading.
The measures are designed to stamp out the illegal metal industry, which costs the UK at least £220 million a year.
The legislative changes will:
remove the 'no questions asked' cash payments which have allowed unscrupulous traders to evade checks
increase financial penalties – illegal traders will now face fines of up to £5,000
give police new powers of entry to tackle illegal trading in metal yard
To find out more, please click here
The application of local government legislation to PCPs
3rd of December 2012
New guidance published today by the Home Office confirms the ‘general policy’ position that Police and Crime Panel’s (PCPs) are to be treated, in legislative terms, in the same way as any other local authority committee or joint committee.
In relation to meetings of PCPs, for example, meetings of a PCP should be held in public and papers and connected papers should be made available to the public five clear days before the meeting.
Similarly the Freedom of Information Act is being applied to all PCPs in England and Wales. This means that members of the public are entitled to request any recorded information held by the PCP.
To download the guidance, please click here
ASB REACCREDITATION AWARDED TO ACIS
3rd of December 2012
Lincolnshire-based Acis Group has received reaccreditation for its ASB service following an inspection-style assessment against a range of different criteria, set by HouseMark and SLCNG.
Acis were only the second organisation in the country to receive the award when first accredited in 2009.
Phil Whitehead, Neighbourhoods Operations Manager for Acis, said of the reaccreditation: “The reaccreditation process involved a robust challenge of our anti-social behaviour services and successfully achieving this shows that we are effective in dealing with nuisance and ASB issues, we are delivering a high quality ASB service and that we are involved in effective partnership working with other organisations to combat ASB. It is testament to the hard work of our front-line staff who improve the lives of our customers and the places that they live on a daily basis.”
New sentences and criminal offences come into effect
2nd of December 2012
From 3 December 2012 new offences of aggravated knife possession come into force. Anyone who uses a knife or offensive weapon to threaten and endanger others will face a mandatory custodial sentence.
Alongside this a mandatory life sentence for people convicted of a second very serious sexual or violent crime and a new offence of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, which carries a maximum five year custodial sentence, will come into effect.
The new offences and sentences are part of a range of provisions introduced in the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.
To find out more, please click here
Axe threats, spitting in faces and attempted arson: 3 banned from Bristol area
30th of November 2012
Sovereign Housing Association has won injunctions against three people after a spate of antisocial acts were committed against its tenants.
To read the fiull story from Dash24 please click here
Merseyside Police Authority staff to be offered voluntary redundancy
30th of November 2012
Staff at the former Merseyside Police Authority which was disbanded when the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner was created earlier this month are being offered voluntary redundancy.
To read the full story from the Liverpool Echo please click here
Community investment in an age of austerity
29th of November 2012
Tackling crime and anti-social behaviour is a clear community investment priority for housing providers according to a new report launched on Wednesday 28 November by the London School of Economics and Orbit on how housing associations can empower tenants to help their communities and tackle society’s toughest challenges.
The top five community investment priorities identified were:
• youth activities, support and job access;
• employment and job training for adult residents;
• tackling crime and anti-social behaviour;
• welfare and money advice; and
• support and provision for older people and families.
To find out more, please click here
Consultation on measures to cut alcohol fuelled crime and ASB
28th of November 2012
Home Secretary Theresa May has announced the publication of a consultation on measures to cut alcohol fuelled crime and anti-social behaviour.
The 10 week consultation is seeking views on five new areas:
- A ban on multi-buy promotions in shops and off-licences to reduce excessive alcohol consumption;
- A review of the mandatory licensing conditions, to ensure that they are sufficiently targeting problems such as irresponsible promotions in pubs and clubs;
- Health as a new alcohol licensing objective for cumulative impacts so that licensing authorities can consider alcohol related health harms when managing the problems relating to the number of premises in their area;
- Cutting red tape for responsible businesses to reduce the burden of regulation on responsible businesses while maintaining the integrity of the licensing system; and,
- A minimum unit price of 45 pence per unit, ensuring for the first time that alcohol can only be sold at a sensible and appropriate price.
To read more, please click here
Nuisance Neighbour behind bars
28th of November 2012
A man who breached his anti-social behaviour injunction on an Islington estate has been jailed for 16 weeks and may lose his council home.
To read the full story, please click here
Two new laws to tackle Violence Against Women come into force
27th of November 2012
Two new laws to prevent domestic and sexual violence have come into force from Monday 26 November, the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
They are part of a package of new government support to prevent domestic and sexual violence.
The new laws - that carry a maximum prison sentence of five years - will provide extra protection for victims and help bring more stalkers to justice.
To read more, please click here
'Project Pendle' making strides
21st of November 2012
A pioneering project by One Vision Housing has reduced crime and ASB by almost a half in just 12 months.
To find out more, please click here
Man imprisoned following breach of injunction
18th of November 2012
A Sheffield man who breached his anti social behaviour injunction has been handed an immediate 12 week prison sentence.
To read more, please click here
Evaluation of ESF/DWP families with multiple problems/troubled families initiative
12th of November 2012
A short government research report considers approaches to evaluating the DWP Families with Multiple Problems and the DCLG Troubled Families programme.
The most important recommendation is that DCLG and DWP data systems should be designed or altered so that data from both systems can be linked at the level of the individual family member. Moreover, that taken together, it needs to be possible to identify all troubled families targeted for support, the identities of the adult individuals within them, the programmes families/individuals are referred to, and the programmes to which referred adult individuals attach.
To read more, please click here
Clamping down on metal theft
8th of November 2012
From 03 December new powers to stop cash being paid for scrap metal and to give the police stronger powers to target rogue traders are to come into effect.
To read more, please click here
Expose councils that fail troubled families, urges Casey
6th of November 2012
The government’s troubled families tsar has called on local authority staff to blow the whistle on councils that deliberately avoid working with the most difficult families under the scheme.
To read the full report from Children & Young People Now, please click here
Dangerous dog owner evicted in landmark case
5th of November 2012
Newham residents are celebrating after local housing provider, East Thames, won a landmark case to evict a resident whose dangerous dog attacked police officers. The threat posed by the dog was brought to East Thames’ attention after police raided the home on unrelated charges and were themselves attacked by the dog.
For more information, please click here
Local authorities' use of surveillance powers curbed
2nd of November 2012
New rules to stop misuse of surveillance powers came into force today. The changes will stop councils using surveillance powers designed to fight crime for monitoring school catchment areas and the contents of residents' recycling bins.
Local authorities will have to get approval from a magistrate before using powers to track suspected benefit cheats, rogue traders and those selling alcohol or tobacco to children. And they will only be able to conduct surveillance for crimes which would be given more than a six-month jail term.
To read more, please click here
Victim Support launches volunteering initiative to help victims of antisocial behaviour in Birmingham
2nd of November 2012
Victim Support has today (Friday 2 November) launched a new and innovative volunteering initiative to help victims of persistent antisocial behaviour in Birmingham. The initiative is part the charity's existing Birmingham Residents Antisocial Behaviour Victim Empowerment Project (BRAVE).
To read more, please click here
PCC Candidates Face The Housing Experts
2nd of November 2012
Irwell Valley invited the PCC candidates for Greater Manchester to a Q&A in front of an audience of over 150 housing professionals.
After a round up of individual manifestos, the panel faced a series of questions including how they intended to work with Housing Associations and other local partners.
To read more, please click here
Pre-legislative scrutiny of draft Anti-Social Behaviour Bill announced
2nd of November 2012
The Home Affairs Committee has announced formally that it will conduct pre-legislative scrutiny of the Government’s draft Anti-Social Behaviour Bill strating wih ortal evidence early in the new year.
To read more, plesae click here
Domestic abuse recorded by the police in Scotland
1st of November 2012
Data for domestic abuse recorded by police in Scotland show there were 59,847 incidents in 2011-12, compared to the 55,698 incidents recorded in 2010-11. This equates to a 7% increase in the number of incidents recorded.
To read more, please click here
New approach to Community Payback begins in London
31st of October 2012
A new approach to Community Payback that will see offenders completing tougher, more intensive punishments begins today in London.Serco, with London Probation Trust, will run Community Payback so it better tackles reoffending and delivers greater value for money.
The four-year London contract will save taxpayers £25 million and ensure:
• Community Payback begins within days of sentencing
• Offenders work seven hour days as a minimum requirement
• Better links with communities so offenders pay back in the area, or even street, their crime was committed in
• Unemployed offenders work over four full days a week with a fifth day spent job seeking
• Swift, robust action is taken against offenders who misbehave or fail to attend.
To read more please click here
Sexual Exploitation of Children - Can you recognise the signs?
29th of October 2012
A new training film to help front-line officers spot the early signs of group-associated grooming, and support vulnerable children being sexually exploited, has been launched today.
The 20 minute film uses a storyline of ‘Whitney’ to explore how children and young people can be made vulnerable to grooming and sexual abuse, highlighting the grooming and manipulation techniques used by abusers.
To read more, please click here
To view the film, click here
To view the film,on YouTube, click here
29th of October 2012
A new study by the Centre for Social Justice looks at how gang crime and fear of gangs has changed since the summer riots of 2011. One year on, it says the political commitment is waning and authorities have mistakenly assumed that it’s ‘job done’.
To read more, please click here
Coventry troublemaker sent to prison
25th of October 2012
A 31-year old man has been evicted from his home and sent to prison for 8 months for breaching the terms of his ASB injunction and terrorising neighbours.
The tenant was charged with committing an assault, creating ongoing fear of violence. His actions included purposely causing a contractor to fall 20 feet off a first floor exterior scaffolding and brandishing a sword in a threatening manner towards residents and staff.
To read more, please click here
Together for Mental Health
25th of October 2012
An all age, cross-Governmental strategy for mental health and wellbeing in Wales has been launched. At the heart of the Strategy is the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010, which places legal duties on Health Boards and Local Authorities to improve support for people with mental ill-health.
Together for Mental Health will be delivered in partnership with Health Boards, local authorities, the voluntary sector, service users, their carers and families.
To find out more, please click here
Police and crime commissioner candidate website goes live
24th of October 2012
The PCC candidates website goes live on Friday 26 October. The website is intended to provide voters with each candidate’s vision for policing in their local area. The website address is www.choosemypcc.org.uk
LOCAL ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR SERVICES REACCREDITED
23rd of October 2012
Worcester Community Housing has become one of the first UK landlords to achieve a prestigious reaccreditation against the ‘Respect - ASB Charter for Housing’, which shapes the sector’s approach to ASB.
The award recognises our comprehensive methods of both preventing and dealing with anti-social behaviour .
To read more, please click here
Transcript of the Prime Minister's speech to the Centre for Social Justice
22nd of October 2012
The Prime Minister has called for a rehabilitation revolution in a major speech on crime and justice delivered today.
At the heart of that revolution is a determination to see more people properly punished, but fewer offenders returning to the system. This will entail:
• A clearer focus on prevention
• Giving more victims the chance to be heard and appointing a new Victims’ Commissioner
• Legislating to start televising the sentences that Judges deliver – starting in the Court of Appeal next year
• Toughening up community sentences too. – including laying amendments to the Crime and Courts Bill, so that every community sentence contains an element of punishment.
• Spreading the payments by results approach across rehabilitation services by the end of 2015.
• Intervening much earlier in trough (amongst other things) strengthening families, re-focussing Sure Start centres and bringing new help for the most 120,000 troubled families.
• Bringing real discipline to schools and re-focussing Pupil referral units
Courts will have to consider restorative justice
21st of October 2012
Labour will introduce reforms meaning that courts will have to consider the option of restorative justice as part of any sentence handed down.
That’s the message delivered recently to the Labour Party Conference by shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan.
To read a transcript of the speech in full, please click here
Deadline passes for PCC candidates to declare
19th of October 2012
As nominations for PCC candidates close today the latest information shows there are 168 candidates across all 41 police force areas. Kent ‘leads the field’ with 9 candidates, whilst in 8 areas the election will be fought out by just 2 candidates.
New Progress is awarded a prestigious asb accreditation
18th of October 2012
New Progress Housing Association has achieved accreditation for its ASB services.
The housing association, which manages over 4,000 homes throughout South Ribble and the surrounding areas, has achieved the prestigious SLCNG/HouseMark ASB accreditation for the way it deals with anti-social behaviour and its commitment to tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) in its communities.
To read more, please click here
Evictions restore peace to community
17th of October 2012
Whitefriars, part of WM Housing Group, has taken a tough line by securing the eviction of three troublesome tenants in one block of flats to restore peace to the community.
To read the full story, please click here
Gang injunction powers for under 18s have been used just once
17th of October 2012
Gang injunction powers for under 18s have been used just once since January according to reports attributed to the Youth Justice Board.
To read the full article from Children and Young People Now, please click here
17-24-30 no to hate crime campaign
15th of October 2012
The first Hate Crime Hate Crime Awareness Week 13th-19th October was launched at St Paul’s Cathedral on 13th October.
The purpose of the week is to raise awareness of hate crime issues around the UK and abroad, encouraging local communities to do something to tackle local issues.
For more information please click here
Crime mapping website for England and Wales is expanded
15th of October 2012
BBC reports that the Home Office has widened the www.police.uk Compare Your Area tool to allow people to compare crime levels for a certain borough or district.
It comes a month before voters elect the first police commissioners.
The development, coming just a month ahead of the first PCC elections, will allow people to see how recorded crime rates have changed over the past three years to look at crime levels in smaller areas including villages and estates, and compare them with others. Mugshots of convicted criminals are expected to be included from the end of this month.
To read the BBC report, please click here
One hundred PCC candidates make 'promises to victims'
12th of October 2012
This week, the 100th candidate for a police and crime commissioner role signed Victim Support's manifesto, making five promises, if elected, to put victims first.
The five pledges PCC candidates are being asked to agree to are:
•Be open and accountable to victims and witnesses, seeking out and acting on their views.
•Ensure that victims and witnesses get the high quality help and support they need, when they need it.
•Make the police more victim-focused and more effective at their needs.
•Give victims and witnesses an effective voice in the wider criminal justice system.
•Constantly work to develop new ways of delivering justice for victims.
To read more please click here
PCC candidates asked to sign youth charter
12th of October 2012
On the 15 November, PCCs will be voted in across the country. With a mandate to make the best use of public resources, ensuring safe communities for all – PCCs must develop strong partnerships with young people and the agencies that serve them.
In the run up to these elections, a Youth Charter has been produced as part of the Safer Future Communities project, funded by the Home Office.
As of 11 October 2012 the Youth Charter had already seen five PCC candidates sign up.
To read more, please click here
SOUTH STAFFS STAFF GO MAD TO MAKEOVER YOUTH CLUB
11th of October 2012
More than 120 young people in South Staffordshire are benefitting from an improved youth centre after big-hearted volunteers gave it a makeover.
Littleton Green Youth Club at Huntington is the first project to benefit from South Staffordshire Housing Association's (SSHA) Make A Difference (MAD) Days project.
To celebrate 15 years of the housing association staff, board members and partners are volunteering time and services to benefit community projects across the district, which have been nominated by residents and staff.
The MAD Days project will see more than 55 staff and board members donate their time to wield a paint brush, grab a spade, or set to with their toolkit, on a variety of schemes.
