To receive a presentation focussing on one aspect of the Community Safety priorities for 2016-17, that being Anti Social Behaviour (ASB), including information regarding recent work within the Community Safety team and the Police, outcomes and future plans with regards to tackling ASB.

The Community Safety Operations Manager delivered a presentation which set out the Council’s approach to managing Anti Social Behaviour (ASB), explaining that the focus was victim led, and outlined recent changes to legislation including the ASB Case Review (Community Trigger), Civil Injunction, Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), and the  Community Protection Notice. He encouraged Members to consider promoting the ASB Case Review when in discussion with constituents who are unsatisfied about the way their reports of ASB have been dealt with (full details on the Council website including application form). 

The ASB and Statutory Nuisance team leader briefed Members on the resource make-up of her team and the range of issues that they investigate and case manage: domestic statutory nuisance (noise, smoke, and light),

fly-tipping, ASB e.g. neighbours and youth nuisance, fly-tipping, littering, graffiti, fly-posting, and unauthorised advertising of vehicles.. The team highlighted the proactive approach used when dealing with cases of fly tipping, the close relationship with the rural liaison officer and the importance of educating the public with regards to passing waste to unlicensed carriers and the subsequent penalties involved.

Members queried the process for investigating statutory nuisance. In response the ASB and Statutory Nuisance team leader confirmed that cases could be reopened if necessary and that complainants  could also take their own action against offenders under legislation within the Environmental Protection Act.

In response to a Member query about the large case load of the ASB and Statutory Nuisance – approx.. 900 cases per year – the ASB and Statutory Nuisance team leader advised that comparisons with other authorities were problematic due to varying structures and recording practices.

The Committee requested liaison with the Magistrates Court in order to understand the level of sanctions imposed which often appeared too low in relation to the offence committed, with many of the penalties levied at the originator of the waste and not the carrier disposing of it. A discussion arose around the ease by which the public could dispose of waste and it was conceded that it would be difficult to prevent people who refused to use the HWRC's and instead chose to fly tip, with Members concluding that in these instances penalties needed to be prohibitive so as to discourage such activity as much as possible.

Members expressed concern at the level of nuisance cyclists in the South of the region and that measures to tackle the problem had not yielded results. The Environmental Protection Officer confirmed methods used to identify offenders, the close liaison with schools and parents as many offenders were under the age of 16, but acknowledged ongoing difficulties in improving the situation.

The Chief Inspector for Bedfordshire Police delivered a presentation which set out the Force’s approach to dangerous motorcycles in the region, in particular the South of Central Bedfordshire, titled Operation Meteor. The Chief Inspector explained the difference between those legally riding motorcycles who required education with regards where to ride safely and those deliberately breaking the law, with little regard for the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10