Council and partners encourage victims of anti-social behaviour to report it
Cheshire West and Chester Council is supporting a national campaign to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) and keep people in the borough safe.
Running from 18 to 24 November, ASB Awareness Week 2024 aims to encourage communities to take a stand against ASB, to report it and protect those who are experiencing it.
ASB is defined in law as any behaviour which causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm and/or distress to others. ASB can also be one element of a broader range of issues that harm our communities such as violence, threats, vandalism, neighbour disputes, litter, noise or overgrown gardens.
ASB is often described as ‘low-level crime’, however evidence suggests that ASB can result in a range of negative emotional, behavioural, social, health and financial impacts. ASB has been linked to personal harm including avoidance behaviours, stress, anxiety, depression and can even cause damage to the local economy.
The main theme of this year’s ASB Awareness Week is ‘Making Communities Safer’. It follows on from a series of events organised by the Council’s Community Safety team in conjunction with key partners throughout the year.
All victims of ASB or crime are encouraged to report incidents to relevant agencies.
More information on reporting can be found within the online Residents Guide to Reporting Issues.
Recent YouGov research found that almost one in five people have had to consider moving home because of the impact ASB was having on them; and one in 10 have actually moved. Despite this, over half of those surveyed who were either a victim or witness of ASB did not report it.
Cheshire Police, housing associations, the Council and other key partners work collaboratively to protect communities from harm and take robust action to stop ASB where it occurs, and consider longer term solutions where there is sustained demand.
The Council’s Cabinet Member for Homes, Planning and Safer Communities, Councillor Christine Warner said:
Please do not suffer in silence if you experience ASB. Incidents can be reported to the partnership police and council anti-social behaviour unit through online reporting on the Cheshire Police website, calling 101, or on 999 if people feel that they are at immediate risk or in danger. ASB can range from relatively low-level to more serious behaviours; even lower level ASB can have a devastating and long-lasting impact on the lives of victims and communities and can often be a precursor to more serious crime.
The ‘ASB Case Review’ can be activated if someone has reported the same problem three or more times in the last six months to the Council, Police or a registered social landlord.
More information on the ASB Case Review can be located on the Community Safety Partnership website at: The Anti-social Behaviour Case Review | Cheshire West and Chester Community Safety Partnership
Cllr Warner added:
Residents may not be aware of the ASB Case Review which was previously known as the ‘Community Trigger’. This is a process which allows members of the public to ask the Community Safety Partnership to review agencies responses to complaints of ASB. The ASB Case Review is designed to ensure partners work together to stop ASB and prevent further harm to victims and communities. Where an application for the ASB Case Review is upheld, we will appoint a panel to review all reports of ASB made to the Council, Police or registered social landlords to ensure that appropriate action has been taken to address the problem.