Denham demands more action on anti-social behaviour

Councils should do more to educate frontline staff on the powers and tools available to them to deal with anti-social behaviour, the Communities Secretary has said.

John Denham’s comments came as the Department for Communities and Local Government announced a £10m funding package for training and to raise awareness. Some 130 councils will receive financial support.

The money will go towards training frontline staff, residents and community champions. There will also be a campaign – through leaflets, regional events and media information – to let local residents know the rights and how to report anti-social behaviour.

The minister said: “We want people to know they are not alone – government, their council and police are on their side, whether it is tackling nightmare neighbours, aggressive gangs or mindless vandals.”

The government’s initiative is part of a joint campaign between the DCLG and the Home Office with a significant focus on social housing. The government also announced plans to support tenants in their challenges against landlords, local authorities and the police where they think they are failing to tackle anti-social behaviour, as well as a proposal for a housing anti-social behaviour “action squad” to work with landlords.

There will also be guidance for social landlords and a revised Respect Standard that will become binding on them for the first time.

Housing minister John Healey said: “We’re making sure councils and housing associations aren’t just responsible for bricks and mortar, but that they can also influence the quality of life in local neighbourhoods.”

However, the National Housing Federation said it was worried that concentrating more resources on anti-social behaviour could divert resources away from successful measures that housing associations already have in place.

Chief executive David Orr said: "We are also concerned that compelling landlords to adopt the Respect agenda could stifle creative local solutions to these often complex issues. Housing associations across the country are already at the forefront of addressing anti-social behaviour within their communities – and have proved highly effective at defeating the hooligans with an innovative and diverse range of targeted programmes.“

However he added that the Federation welcomed any measures which would effectively help to tackle the "scourge of anti social behaviour.”