Standing firm against antisocial behavior

Yet the Government this week attempted to show that stamping out antisocial behaviour remains a top priority.

A regional summit in Southampton – one of three in the south – aimed to give community leaders the confidence and know-how to work with neighbours, police and council officials to take a stand against yobbish behaviour.

Communities secretary and Southamp-ton MP John Denham hopes that by raising awareness of the tools and powers available, it will encourage residents to work together to tackle problems on their doorsteps.

“I’ve had the opportunity of seeing first-hand how neighbourhoods up and down the country have been transformed by the spirit and resilience of those determined to make a difference,” he said.

“I hope their example can inspire many others to get involved themselves to really shape the communities they live in."

His “call to action” comes as a new booklet is delivered to neighbourhoods where unacceptable behaviour is a major concern. It will give police, councils and landlords no excuse not to act.

The leaflet sets out where residents can go for help and what they should expect to be done.

And it encourages residents to complain if they feel no action has been taken.

The major Southampton event set out the measures available, such as antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs), crack house closure orders and dispersal orders, and how 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.

Insp Doug Ashman, who is responsible for policing St Mary’s, Northam and Newtown, where antisocial behaviour has dramatically fallen in the past year, said he hoped the event had helped to break down apathy about calling the police over minor issues.

He said: “I accept that while we might not be able to attend as quickly as we would like, just because we don’t attend immediately doesn’t mean we don’t care and are not interested.”

He said all incidents were logged, and that helped to build up intelligence about antisocial behaviour in particular areas that could lead to later action by the police or other agencies.

Insp Ashman said even minor incidents should be reported to the police’s non-emergency 101 number.

“If anyone is feeling intimated by a group of youths hanging around, they should contact us.”

He said it could lead to youth workers, for example, looking at ways of offering alternative activities.

Latest Home Office figures show the use of ASBOs – court orders that ban certain types of antisocial behaviour – has been declining in Hampshire since a peak in 2005, when 112 were handed out.

But Insp Ashman insisted ASBOs were still a valuable tool, although they were now used in a “more educated” way.

He said a lot of antisocial behaviour, such as someone damaging a vehicle, setting fire to a bin or vandalising a wall, constituted a “crime in progress” which should be called in as a 999 emergency.

City councillor Don Thomas, who represents Coxford, said: “All councillors from all parties would agree that tackling antisocial behaviour is a very important subject, and I have no doubt that neighbourhoods are at their finest when we all stand as one.

“In Coxford, tackling antisocial behaviour is the top priority. If I learnt one thing from the summit then it was a well worth exercise.”

A council spokesman said residents should report all non-urgent antisocial behaviour such as alcohol-related disorder, aggressive begging and rowdy behaviour.

He pledged: “We will provide residents with a response about what we have done with the information and will work with the police if necessary.

“The more information we are provided, the better. Keeping logs of persistent problems helps as it allows the council to build up a picture of any problems in areas. We can then work with the police to address the issues.”