How we will deal with your report
How we will deal with your report of anti-social behaviour is detailed in our Community Harm and Anti-social Behaviour Policy and Good Neighbourhood Management Policy.
We will assess and evaluate reports of ASB to determine the level of risk to you and/or the local community and categorise them into 3 main areas:
- personal
- nuisance
- environmental
Level 1: Personal
These are incidents where the perpetrator has directly targeted the victim(s) and/or a criminal offence is suspected to have been committed.
Examples include but are not limited to:
- Hate-related crime or hate related incidents where there is the potential to escalate to serious harm.
- Physical violence/serious threats of violence (including domestic abuse)
- Ongoing harassment or intimidation, including stalking or bullying
- Cuckooing (taking control of a person’s home to establish a base for illegal drug dealing or other criminal activity)
- Targeted criminal damage/arson
- Graffiti that is offensive or hate crime/incident-related
- Aggression by animals towards people
- Serious offences (as defined within the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014)
In most cases, the Council’s initial response will be to support or advise the victim to contact the police directly.
Level 1 incidents will be responded to within 1 working day.
Level 2: Nuisance
These are incidents that affect one or more individuals but are not directly targeted at any person or group or where there is no immediate risk to any person.
Examples include but are not limited to:
- Hate-related incidents such as shouting/playing loud music, where the victim or another person perceives it as targeted due to hate
- Criminal damage to public, communal and green space areas or property
- Drug misuse (in public/communal areas)
- Drug dealing and supply
- Vandalism to property
- Serious or sustained noise nuisance
- Sustained animal-related nuisance
- Prostitution and sexual activity in a public place
- Unlawful behaviour
- Sustained breach of tenancy related to ASB
Level 2 incidents will be responded to within 5 working days.
Level 3: Environmental
These are incidents where the behaviour impacts the local community indirectly. They may not constitute or be categorised as ASB, but we will seek to resolve them proactively at the earliest possible opportunity.
Examples include but are not limited to:
- Noise nuisance which is not deliberate or targeted
- Neighbour disputes
- Graffiti
- Misuse of communal areas and green spaces
- Animal/pet nuisance
- CCTV nuisance
- Litter and Fly tipping
- Vehicle nuisance including abandoned vehicles
Level 3 incidents will be responded to within 10 working days.
Incidents that don’t meet the definition of ASB or the criteria for persistent or deliberate minor incidents, but can be classed as neighbour disputes or nuisance, can be dealt with via the Good Neighbourhood Management Policy.