East Kent Housing

Neighbour Nuisance

Anti Social Behaviour Policy

Control

Version EKH#1 Author Sue Harris Approved by Board 16/07/2012 Date of review 16/07/2013

1 Contents Page

1. Introduction 3

2. Our aims and the purpose of this policy 3

3. Our values and service standard 4

4. Policy context and legislative requirements 4

5. Respect ASB Charter for Housing 5

6. The Equality Act 2010 6

7. What is Anti Social Behaviour 6

8. What is Racial Harassment and/or Hate Related Behaviour 7

9. What is Domestic Abuse? 7

10. Reporting a complaint of ASB 8

11. Investigating ASB complaints 8

12. Prevention of ASB 9

13. Support for victims and witnesses 11

2 14. Roles and responsibilities 12

15. Information and access 12

16. Customer satisfaction 13

17. Training and guidance for staff 14

18. Monitoring and review arrangements 14

19. Appendix 1 –Legislation 15

20. Appendix 2- Expanded Definitions of ASB 16

21. Appendix 3- Multi Agency Partnerships 18

22. Appendix 4 – Consultation undertaken to develop this Policy 19

1. Introduction

1.1 This policy sets out East Kent Housing’s approach to tackling Neighbour Nuisance and Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) through:

 Prevention  Early Intervention  Enforcement  Support

The policy was developed through working with our tenants, leaseholders and stakeholders.

1.2 As a social housing provider, East Kent Housing has a responsibility to take all accounts (and perceived accounts) of Neighbour Nuisance and ASB seriously. This policy sets out how we will deal with these effectively by using a range of reactive and preventative measures.

1.3 We believe that everyone has a right to live in an environment that allows them to enjoy their homes and their chosen lifestyles as long as it does not interfere or disturb other residents’ peace and quiet enjoyment of their home and community.

3 1.4 This policy sends out a clear message that we will not tolerate ASB from our tenants and leaseholders, members of their family or visitors to their home and we expect them to show consideration for their neighbours and the wider community.

1.5 EKH is signatory to the Respect ASB Charter for Housing Management. This policy sets out ways in which we will seek to deliver the ASB Commitments, set out in the Charter, to assist us in tackling ASB.

1.6 EKH will seek to deliver these commitments by working with our tenants, leaseholders and stakeholders, by our policy and procedures and by our attitude and general approach to tackling ASB.

2. Our aims and the purpose of this policy

2.1 The purpose of this policy is to reduce the amount of Neighbour Nuisance and ASB that impacts adversely on the lives and environment of our tenants, leaseholders and the wider community. It also defines Neighbour Nuisance and ASB, ways in which we tackle it, and what our tenants and leaseholders can expect from us. We aim to:

 investigate each complaint impartially, take action against offenders and support and protect victims and witnesses

 keep an open mind and investigate complaints made against alleged perpetrators in a fair and impartial way

 look initially at ways to resolve ASB without the use of legal enforcement and in proven cases provide support for alleged perpetrators to improve their behaviour

 demonstrate and communicate our commitment to tackling ASB and promote a culture of respect to our tenants, leaseholders and the wider community

 work in partnership with the Police, Community Safety Units and other agencies to ensure that ASB is dealt with effectively through a multi-agency approach

3. Our values and service standard

3.1 At East Kent Housing we recognise the need to be approachable, fair and impartial to all parties involved in complaints of Neighbour Nuisance and ASB and we are committed to dealing with the causes and effects of this behaviour. This policy supports the right of all our tenants and leaseholders to expect an excellent ASB service.

3.2 For the Complainant, we promise to:

 take every complaint seriously and respond in a sensitive and efficient way  listen sympathetically and treat every complaint with the appropriate confidentiality and respect  ensure the service is accessible to the complainant, they know who they are dealing with and are regularly updated on the progress of the case  ensure the action we take is consistent and our tenants and leaseholders know what action and support they can expect from us  not share information with anyone without prior consent from the complainant

4  offer support to victims and witnesses if there is an identified risk of recriminations or victimisation

3.3 For the alleged perpetrator we will endeavour to:

 keep an open mind and investigate complaints made against alleged perpetrators in a fair and impartial way  look at ways to resolve ASB without the use of legal enforcement  In proven cases, provide support to the perpetrators of ASB to improve their behaviour and reduce the risk of losing their home e.g. a referral to floating support or the support of specialist support agencies in relation to mental health, drug or alcohol abuse  integrate support where enforcement action is necessary  ensure a case conference approach is taken in the case of vulnerable alleged perpetrators; where all relevant agencies are present and are able to contribute towards the case and agree an action plan to consider the alleged perpetrator’s needs

4. Policy context and legislative requirements

4.1 The tenancy agreements of all the four East Kent Councils clearly set out the standard of behaviour expected of our tenants and the conditions related to Neighbour Nuisance and ASB are referred to in detail when a new tenant signs up to their tenancy.

4.2 The term ASB is used to describe actions that interfere or could interfere with an occupier’s normal use and enjoyment of their home and community. The definition extends to behaviour that creates nuisance and annoyance for another person, in respect of East Kent Housing’s management function of the four East Kent Councils housing stock, which includes staff and contractors.

4.3 East Kent Housing does not operate in isolation and this policy takes into account the following legislation but is not limited to: (see appendix 1 for expanded list)

 Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003  Crime and Disorder Act 1998  Housing Act 1985 (Schedule 2- Grounds for Possession)  Housing Act 1996  Police Reform Act 2002  Disability Discrimination Act 1995  Environmental Protection Act 1990  Human Rights Act 1998  Noise Nuisance Act 1993  Equality Act 2010

5. Respect ASB Charter for Housing

5.1 Supported by the Respect ASB Charter for Housing, EKH has developed this policy and procedure to assist us in tackling anti social behaviour. This will be achieved using the seven ASB Commitments set out in the Charter:

5.2 East Kent Housing is committed to:

5  demonstrating leadership and strategic commitment by our approach to anti social behaviour. We will provide the relevant training to staff, tenants and relevant partners to support a joined up approach to tackle the root cause of ASB and have a performance management framework in place to report monitor and review ASB performance

 providing an accessible and accountable service so that all our tenants and leaseholders can easily access our ASB service. We will publicise our enforcement activity, what we have done to tackle ASB and what we do to prevent it occurring

 taking swift action to protect communities appropriately using the full range of tools available to deal with ASB before it escalates

 adopting a supportive approach to working with victims and witnesses to identify and minimise risk. Our case management demonstrates a clear focus on protecting people from harm and on supporting victims and witnesses.

 encouraging individual and community responsibility and achieve this by working with community groups and partners to promote tolerance and responsibility amongst our tenants, leaseholders and the wider community

 having a clear focus on prevention and early intervention using preventative measures tailored to the needs of our tenants and leaseholders

 ensuring that a value for money approach is embedded in our service to understand the cost of our ASB service, how we perform and how satisfied our customers are; and benchmark costs, performance and satisfaction with other service providers to demonstrate value for money

6. Equality and Diversity

6.1 We respect the rights of all individuals when carrying out our day to day work. This means promoting equality, valuing diversity, supporting social integration and tackling discrimination. We understand that people have different needs and therefore may need to be treated differently, but at all times fairly and impartially. We will: .  consider issues of vulnerability, disability and mental health when incidents of Neighbour Nuisance and ASB are reported and consider appropriate referrals

 aim to identify mental health issues at the application /sign up stage to ensure appropriate support services are in place at the start of the tenancy

 put safeguards in place to protect vulnerable tenants involved in ASB, from eviction, by working with Social Services and other key agencies that can offer support to them

 demonstrate we have considered ways in which the action we take may directly or indirectly discriminate against different groups, before we take legal action

 only take legal action on alleged perpetrators when we have considered and taken all available options to resolve the case

6 7. What is Anti Social Behaviour?

7.1 There is no generally accepted definition of ASB. However, following consultation with our tenants and leaseholders, we have adopted a broad definition of ASB as being:

“any behaviour by residents, members of their household or their visitors that causes alarm or distress to another; or behaviour that interferes with the day to day well being, physical or mental health, safety and security of another household or individual”

7.2 The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 defines ASB as:

“any act which caused or was likely to cause harassment, alarm and distress to one or more persons not of the same household as the alleged perpetrator”

7.3 The Anti social Behaviour Act 2003 defines ASB as:

“conduct which is capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to any person and which directly or indirectly relates to, or affects , the housing management function of a relevant landlord” or

“conduct which consists of, or involves using or threatening to use, housing accommodation owned or managed by a relevant landlord for an unlawful purpose”

7.4 Anti-social behaviour may be categorised broadly into four main areas and includes but is not limited to (see Appendix 2 for expanded list):

i. Disregard for community/ personal well being, such as

 Noise  Rowdy behaviour  Nuisance behaviour  Hoax calls  Animal related problems

ii. Acts directed at people, such as

 Intimidation/ harassment  Verbal Abuse  Cyber bullying and on line harassment  Domestic Abuse

iii. Environmental damage, such as

 Criminal damage/ vandalism  Litter/rubbish  Fly tipping

iv. Misuse of public space

7  Drugs/substance misuse and dealing  Street drinking  Prostitution  Abandoned cars  Vehicle related nuisance and inappropriate vehicle use

8. What is Racial Harassment and /or Hate Related Behaviour?

8.1 EKH defines a Racist Incident as “Any incident, which is perceived as racist by the victim or any other person”. All cases of racist or other hate behaviour will be treated as serious and dealt with accordingly.

8.2 EKH defines a hate related incident as: “any type of behaviour or action carried out against another person on the grounds of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, social class or age”. We will treat all reports of racial harassment and hate related behaviour very seriously and deal with them in a sensitive way. We will take prompt and effective action in line with the policy and procedures for dealing with hate crime.

9. What is Domestic Abuse?

EKH believe everyone has a right to live in safety in their home without fear and defines Domestic Abuse as:

“ a pattern of abusive behaviour by one partner against another in an intimate relationship, by another family member, or by current or former partners” regardless of gender or sexuality. This may include psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional abuse.

We treat all reports of Domestic Abuse very seriously and we will deal with them in a sensitive way. We will take prompt and effective action in line with the policy and procedure for dealing with Domestic Abuse. 10. Reporting a complaint about ASB

10.1 We encourage our tenants and leaseholders to report any problem as soon as possible to their Neighbourhood Manager who will assess the urgency of the case and categorise in accordance with the procedure developed in consultation with our tenants and leaseholders as follows:

Initial response: Receipt of all complaints of ASB acknowledged within 1 working day.

Level 1: high risk –response within I working day: This covers the most serious or urgent types of ASB where there is an immediate risk to the complainant

Level 2: medium risk – response within 5 working days: This covers ASB where there is no immediate risk to the complainant

Level 3: low risk- response within 10 working days: This covers ASB that is unlikely to cause harm in the short term

Level 4: no risk: - This level acknowledges one-off complaints and incidents where there may be insufficient information to investigate the case

8 10.2 We will widely publicise the broad range of mechanisms available for reporting incidents of ASB, which include:

 telephone  talking directly to Neighbourhood Managers  e-mail  EKH website: www.eastkenthousing.org.uk  written correspondence  personal visits to any East Kent Council Office or Gateway  Neighbourhood Manager surgeries  through a third party ( e.g. Councillor, friend or relative)

11 Investigating ASB complaints

11.1 EKH will actively:

 investigate each complaint impartially, take action against offenders and protect victims and witnesses.

 take all accounts of Neighbour Nuisance and ASB seriously and deal with them effectively

 inform complainants on the progress of their complaint and any action we may be taking

 ensure the action we take is consistent and our tenants and leaseholders know what action and support they can expect from us

 use all the tools available to tackle the ASB rather than moving or displacing the alleged perpetrator through eviction or re-housing in cases where a tenancy agreement has been breached through ASB  adopt a harm-centred approach, which looks into more detail the effect of ASB on victims and witnesses using a pre determined scoring matrix. We recognise that ASB can disproportionately affect one victim compared to another due to individual circumstances such as:

 Age  Disability  Health  Mental Health  Deprivation  Isolation and  The level and frequency of intimidation

 take responsibility to safeguard the welfare of children and young people where there is reasonable cause to suspect a child or young person living in a property managed by EKH is suffering, or is likely to suffer from significant harm

 recognise the importance of supporting the needs and vulnerability of the person reporting the ASB and any witnesses involved

9 12. Prevention of ASB

12.1 We recognise that one of the most effective ways to tackle ASB is to take preventative and supportive measures to discourage ASB from occurring in the first place. We will work with Canterbury City Council, Dover District Council, Shepway District Council and Thanet District Council to take a range of measures including:

 allocating properties in accordance with the allocations and lettings policies of each Council  supporting and developing strategies that include early tenancy support and sensitive lets where appropriate, and that exclude applicants from the Choice Based Lettings Scheme  Using Introductory Tenancies, where applicable, to take prompt action when a new tenant breaches the conditions of their new introductory tenancy agreement  Explaining the clauses about ASB in the tenancy agreement to our new tenants at sign up  Providing and publicising information on what constitutes ASB  Providing information on what a tenant can do to combat ASB and what we can and cannot do to help  Working with the Councils to target resources to improve the layout and environment on the estates we manage  Supporting and adopting diversionary schemes  Supporting ‘Together Action’ Groups  Multi Agency Partnerships (see Appendix 3 for expanded list)  Good Neighbour and Tenancy Standards  CCTV  Security improvements  Community Cohesion  Neat and Tidy Neighbourhoods  Support Services  Publicity  Ensuring that all information is available and accessible to all communities e.g. translations  Tackling Social Exclusion in partnership with schools and other agencies

12.2 Non Legislative Action

We believe that ASB can be stopped if challenged early enough. We use the non- legislative measures available to stop the problems escalating. These include:

 Written or verbal warnings  Home visits/Office interviews  Prompt action for repairs as a result of anti social behaviour e.g. the removal of graffiti  Referral to Environmental Health to investigate a statutory nuisance  Referral to the Mediation Service  Acceptable Behaviour Agreements  Parenting Agreements  Support for vulnerable alleged perpetrators  Extension of Introductory and Starter Tenancies, where applicable.

10  Good Neighbour Agreements  Noise Monitoring (EKH)  Multi agency partnership working

12.3 We may pursue legal action if the ASB is serious and or/criminal and we will evict alleged perpetrators only as a last resort or where there is a risk to others.

Legal action we may take includes:

 Notice of Seeking Possession  Notice to Quit  Notice of Possession Proceedings (Introductory tenancies) where applicable  Possession Orders  Injunctions  Anti Social Behaviour Injunctions (ASBi’s)  Undertaking to the Court  Demotion of Tenancy  Anti Social Behaviour Orders (ASBO’s)  Parenting Orders  Premises Closure Orders  Eviction

The Legal options vary depending on:

 the type of behaviour and the impact it has on others  the age of the alleged perpetrator  any vulnerability or disability of the alleged perpetrator  whether the alleged perpetrator is a resident or non-resident  willingness of the alleged perpetrator to engage with the support/intervention packages offered  the evidence we have to support the case

12.4 We will work with our partner agencies to produce a Community Harm Statement (CHS). This will highlight the wider impact of harm on a community in cases of ASB where legal action is being taken. The CHS will support a balanced and proportionate approach to the assessment of harm to a community as well as the human rights of the perpetrator and ensure evidence is presented to the Court in a consistent manner.

12.5 Criminal cases will be referred to the Police. If the complainant reporting the ASB wishes to pursue their own action to resolve a problem and we feel there is sufficient evidence to do so, we will provide advice and support to assist them.

13 Support for Victims, Witnesses and Alleged Perpetrators:

13.1 We will

 recognise the importance of supporting the needs and vulnerability of the person reporting the ASB and any witnesses involved  consider the support needs and vulnerability of the person responsible for the behaviour and agree the appropriate course of action  provide support for the entire length of the case

11  tailor the level of support to meet the needs of the individual and the circumstances of the case. This will be discussed with the complainant /alleged perpetrator at the outset of the case and set out in an action plan.

The ways we will support may include:

 Meeting communication needs (e.g. providing information in large print, different formats or translations if appropriate)  Facilitate health and mobility needs including mental health and learning difficulties  Encourage advocates or any person who provides support for the individual to attend case meetings  Working with parents of young children causing problems and signpost them to other agencies that may be able to assist them

13.2 When a complainant reports an incident of ASB, we will:

 deal promptly with the report in a sensitive, approachable and professional manner  advise the complainant who is going to deal with the complaint and keep in touch with them  agree an action plan with the complainant’s consent of what we can do, including legal action, police referral and alleged perpetrator action  carry out a risk assessment of the complainant’s home  make a referral to a support agency (where appropriate and where the individual agrees)  tailor the level of support to meet the needs of the individual and the circumstances of the case  arrange to fix emergency repairs as a result of ASB and install CCTV where appropriate  take photographs of the damage to use as evidence  in serious cases consider re-housing the victims of ASB in line with the transfer policies for the four East Kent Councils

14. Roles and responsibilities

14.1 Roles and responsibilities include:

 East Kent Housing Board- has overall responsibility for monitoring ASB performance to ensure we fulfil our commitment to our tenants and leaseholders and our obligations to the four East Kent Councils

 Area Managers- Area Managers have responsibility for the case management of ASB In their area. In addition one of the Area Managers has been given specific responsibility for overseeing ASB for all the four areas

 ASB Co-ordinator – researches and reports on relevant legislative and regulatory changes, makes recommendations on good practice and procedure and provides specialist advice, guidance and support to EKH staff in respect of the management of their ASB cases

 Neighbourhood Managers, Sheltered Housing Officers and Scheme Managers - Responsibility to manage their properties, estates and schemes

12 which include dealing with cases of ASB working in partnership with other agencies such as the Mediation Service, Police, Community Safety Units and Social Services.

 Tenants and Leaseholders- we expect our tenants and leaseholders to show consideration towards their neighbours and the wider community and not commit, or allow members of their family or visitors to their home commit acts of ASB

15. Information and Access

15.1 EKH is committed to improving openness, transparency and ease of public access to our ASB service. We will publish our performance on ASB and Customer Satisfaction in our annual report to tenants and leaseholders. Details can be found on our website www.eastkenthousing.org.uk under Resident Information. We will:

 provide a leaflet for our tenants and leaseholders highlighting the non-legal and legal remedies we use depending on the type of behaviour we are dealing with

 provide clear information about our responsibilities and the responsibilities of tenants and leaseholders in our handbooks and tenancy agreements

 clearly publicise appropriate and inappropriate behaviour and the responsibilities set out in the tenancy agreements for all four Councils to ensure tenants and leaseholders on our estates can enjoy living in their home.

15.2 Publicity

We will “name and shame “perpetrators of ASB, after eviction and will publicise our, successes, where appropriate ,in accordance with Canterbury City Council, Dover District Council, Shepway District Council and Thanet District Council policies using:

 Press Releases  Tenant’s Newsletters  EKH Website  Local Flyers

15.3 Confidentiality and Data Protection

 The Data Protection Act 1998 allows for the exchange of information where it is for the prevention or detection of crime or for the apprehension or prosecution of offenders.

 EKH will explain to complainants the importance of the processes in dealing with ASB and it may be necessary to disclose information to other official departments or agencies.

 Information will be shared with other agencies; where there is a duty to do so, and /or where information-sharing protocols are in place.

13 15.4 Information Sharing

 Section 115 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 allows East Kent Housing and partners to share information for the purpose of preventing and detecting crime and disorder.

 We recognise that confidentiality is important to develop a relationship of trust with complainants and guarantee that any information provided will be kept in the strictest confidence.

 We will not reveal the identity of any person unless written permission is obtained beforehand. Where Child Protection issues are suspected the identities of any person will not be released.

 We will only share information in line with the agreed Kent and Medway Information Sharing Agreement. EKH signed up to this agreement which is an information sharing document that sets out:

 What information is going to be shared;  What powers in law give the ability to share information;  How information is going to be shared;  Who the partners to the agreements are; and  Any necessary security requirements

16. Customer satisfaction

 We will complete Customer Satisfaction Surveys with every complainant, if appropriate, when the case is closed.

 We will regularly review the Customer Satisfaction surveys to ensure we are monitoring our ASB performance in line with the ASB commitments set out in the Respect ASB Charter for Housing.

 We will listen to our tenants and leaseholders and continuously improve our ASB service to ensure we are meeting our service standards and their needs and expectations.

 We will complete Perpetrator Satisfaction Surveys with every perpetrator, if appropriate, when the case is closed.

17. Training and guidance for staff

17.1 East Kent Housing is committed to: .  ensuring our staff are aware of the importance of dealing with reports of incidents of ASB quickly and effectively and provide complainants with practical help, advice, information and support  ensuring our staff can prioritise complaints based on the harm-centred approach  being clear about the standards expected of our staff and ensuring they have the confidence and knowledge to investigate incidents and reports of ASB  supporting staff and encouraging learning to understand the legislation and powers available to tackle anti social behaviour

14  ensuring staff are sensitive to issues of diversity, sustainability and homelessness  raising awareness of issues relating to anti social behaviour by providing training to tenant and resident groups and partners as required  doing what we say we will do and not making promises we cannot keep  treating all tenants and leaseholders fairly, showing courtesy and respect regardless of their background or life style  respecting the confidentiality of all our tenants and leaseholders

18. Monitoring and review arrangements

18.1 Monitoring is necessary to ensure that we deliver the aims and objectives set out in this Policy. We have a range of mechanisms in place to report, monitor and review our ASB service including benchmarking our performance against other Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMO’s) in the South East.

18.2 Through consultation, we will evaluate and publish performance against a range of performance indicators set out in line with the Respect ASB Charter for Housing. These include:

 Corporate commitment, accountability and resident empowerment  ASB profile  Prevention  Early intervention and victim support  Enforcement and witness support  Supporting alleged perpetrators to change behaviour  Costs of tackling ASB  Resident Satisfaction

18.3 We will regularly monitor our performance and report our findings to the four EKH Area Boards on a quarterly basis.

18.4 Housing Services Managers will regularly monitor individual ASB cases; providing support and advice to Neighbourhood Managers to ensure each case is appropriately dealt with in line with current operating procedures.

18.5 This policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner, to address any changes in legislation, regulatory powers, best practice or operational issues.

15 Appendix 1

ASB is a complex area governed by an assortment of Legislation including but not limited to:

Legal References :

Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003 Crime and Disorder Act 1998 Housing Act 1985 – Schedule 2(secure tenancies-Grounds for Possession) Housing Act 1996 Housing Act 2004 (S 179 Extension of Introductory tenancies) Homelessness Act 2002 The Children’s Act 1989 Mental Health Act 1983- vulnerable persons Disability Discrimination Act 1995 amended 2005 The Autism Act 2009 The Equality Act 2010 Human Rights Act 1998 Data Protection Act 1998 Freedom of Information Act 2000 Environmental Protection Act 1990 Statutory Nuisance Act 1993 Public Order Act 1986 Civil Evidence Act 1998 Protection from Harassment Act 1997 Police Reform Act 2002 RIPA 2000 Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 Noise Act 1996 Police Reform Act 2002 Noise Nuisance Act 1993 Respect- ASB Charter for Housing

16 Appendix 2

Expanded Definitions of ASB includes:

Violence against People  Assaults  Domestic violence  Threatening or using violence  Verbal abuse  Intimidation and Harassment  Arson

Drug /Alcohol Abuse and drug dealing  Underage drinking  Selling to underage persons  Licensing issues  Drunkenness  Alcohol/drug related ASB/disorder  Drug litter  Using housing accommodation for supplying and /or producing and/or the use of illegal drugs

Sexual Offences  Sexual Assault  Underage sex  Prostitution  Living off immoral earnings  Dealing in pornography

Criminal Damage and Vandalism  Graffiti  Damage to Council property  Any other damage that impacts on the community. / public and communal areas

Vehicle Problems  Abandoned Vehicles  Joyriding  Off road bikes  Untaxed vehicles  Carrying out vehicle repairs in inappropriate places.  Inconsiderate parking.  Skateboarding or cycling on footpaths or walkways where it could cause nuisance or where it is unsafe.  Riding motor cycles or quad bikes other than on the public highway

Hate Crime –including physical or verbal abuse  Racial  Homophobic  Religion  Sexual Orientation

Rubbish/Litter

17  Rubbish accumulating on landings /communal hallways and entrances to buildings.  Throwing rubbish out of windows  Fly tipping

Neighbour Disputes  Noise nuisance including playing loud music or making other loud noises  Banging and slamming doors  Boundary, shared access and parking disputes

Pets and other animals  Not keeping pets or animals under control  Dog fouling  Noise

Youth Problems  Intimidating Groups  Playing in unsuitable areas e.g. ball games near windows ,skateboarding in lobby/communal areas

Other  Urinating in Public  Spitting in public

18 Appendix 3

Multi Agency Partnerships

 We will adopt a multi agency approach to tackle anti social behaviour sharing expertise and resources.  We will work in partnership with statutory organisations, partners, community groups, professional bodies and other stakeholders to support individuals who report anti social behaviour, witnesses and alleged perpetrators.  We will work in partnership at a strategic and operational level with:

1. The Local Authority 2. Environmental Health 3. The Police 4. Community Safety Units 5. Community and Voluntary Agencies 6. Resident /Tenants Groups 7. Local Action Teams where appropriate 8. Other Housing Providers 9. Youth Offending Teams 10. The Mediation Service 11. Social Services (Adult and Children) 12. Mental Health Team 13. Support Agencies

19 Appendix 4

Consultation undertaken to develop this policy

Date Event 10 January 2012 ASB Design Group 10 February 2012 ASB Design Group 13 February 2012 Draft ASB Policy to Keith Cane, Area Managers and Housing Managers for comment 13 February 2012 Draft ASB Policy to Andrew Baker and Jonathan Hicks for comment 28 February 2012 Tenants ASB Project Group/review policy 8March 2012 Draft ASB policy to Disability forum in Canterbury for comment. 9 March 2012 ASB Design Group 27 March 2012 Draft Policy sent to Kent Police for comments 27 March 2012 Draft Policy to Community Safety Units in Dover, Canterbury, Shepway and Thanet for comment. 27 March 2012 Tenants ASB Project Group/review policy 4 April 2012 Senior Management Team Review Policy 13 April 2012 ASB Design Group review policy 13 April 2012 Draft ASB policy available on the ASB guidance for staff page on the intranet for comments from staff 24 April 2012 Tenants ASB Project Group/review policy and sign off 25 April 2012 Tenants Area Board Canterbury, Dover Shepway and Thanet 30 April 2012 draft Policy to Andrew Baker 1 May 2012 draft ASB policy to Client Officers at Canterbury, Dover, Shepway and Thanet 15 May 2012 draft policy to the Young tenants Forum 22 May 2012 draft policy for comments on EKH Facebook 14 June 2012 draft policy to Disability Forum Canterbury 16 July 2012 Draft policy approved by EKH Main Board 8 August 2012 Neighbour Nuisance and ASB policy to Legal Team at Dover District Council 9 August 2012 Neighbour Nuisance and ASB policy to Legal Team at Thanet District Council 10 August 2012 Neighbour Nuisance and ASB policy to Legal Team at Canterbury City Council 14 August 2012 Neighbour Nuisance and ASB policy to Legal Team at Shepway District Council 14 August 2012 Neighbour Nuisance and ASB policy to Christopher Allen Community Safety ,CCTV and Parking Manager at the CSU Dover