COMMUNITY leaders were encouraged to fight back against antisocial behaviour at a regional summit in Southampton.

The major event – one of three in the south-east – aimed to give residents the confidence and know-how to work with neighbours, police and council officials to take a stand against yobbish behaviour.

It comes as a booklet outlining the information they need to take action is being delivered to ten million homes across the country.

Communities Secretary and Southampton Itchen MP John Denham, whose department put together the event, said: “There are still some communities where antisocial behaviour causes real misery. The public has every right to feel confident that the police and councils will give a high priority to tackling the problem, and they need to know where they can go to get answers.

“Local communities are at their strongest and most confident when residents themselves come together, work to shared goals and are actively involved in helping to solve the problems that affect them.”

Mr Denham said that, while perceptions of antisocial behaviour had fallen to their lowest ever levels, the Government expected police, local authorities and housing associations to take fast and effective action against it.

The event set out the measures available such as ASBOs, crack house closure orders and dispersal orders, and how the communities can report incidents and gather evidence.

Residents, tenants, and community activists got the chance to mix with police, firefighters, landlords, councillors and youth workers to discuss the problems they are facing.

Many residents stressed the need for more youth facilities to act as a preventative tool.

Millbrook Towers tenants’ representative Mo Simmons said: “It’s not all about the police; ringing them and having kids pulled in. My view is you’ve got to talk to the children and get them involved in the community.”

Chris Morris, chairman of Albion Towers Residents’ Association, said: “It was a good learning curve for a lot of people.”

Alan Kebbell, vice-chairman of the Federation of Southampton Tenants’ and Residents’ Associations, said: “It was useful but a lot of people had heard it all before.”