Report on Draft Policy on Anti-Social Behaviour, November 2007
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Relevant Background Information
Whilst Belfast City Council has been working to tackle anti-social behaviour through the interdepartmental Safer City Group by leading Belfast Community Safety Partnership and [[Belfast District Policing Partnership]] and through the provision of some target services and pilot schemes, as an organisation it does not currently have a formal policy to tackle anti-social behaviour. A Safer City Plan is currently being developed for the city which will provide a shared strategic agenda for matters such as anti-social behaviour across the city. However, the Council requires an internal policy in order to guide its contribution to this plan and to ensure its responses are coordinated, consistent and effective.
This report highlights the main elements of a draft Council policy for discussion by Members and outlines some of the proposed processes and structures required to implement and develop the policy further.
Key Issues
Anti-social behaviour is a difficult issue to address as it is wide ranging and is defined by the effect it has on the person experiencing the behaviour and hence it is often unique and subjective. As such this demands that each case is assessed individually and responses are tailored to the incident and the circumstances of the perpetrator(s) and victim(s). It is crucial however that this response is determined within the framework of a strategic approach and is done so consistently across the organisation.
The policy provides a framework for Council's role in addressing and responding to anti-social behaviour. Importantly the policy seeks to provide the basis for a coordinated Council approach, outlining departments' roles in, and contribution to, this whereby we can ensure our response is consistent, and appropriate and has the desired impact. Finally, the policy also seeks to guide our work alongside other stakeholders when a partnership approach is required, as is often the case with anti-social behaviour.
This policy has been developed by the Council's community safety team in consultation with Members and officers of the Council and has also been considered by COMT. It is intended to inform the approach and practices of Belfast City Council alone. It does not seek to provide a strategy to deal with anti-social behaviour across the city, but rather is a framework to define our own input and response to this issue.
It is intended that the development of a Safer City Plan for the city, to which Belfast City Council will contribute, will instead provide the over-arching context for this policy. It should also be noted that the Health and Environmental Services Committee is due to discuss the issue of anti-social behaviour in the City on 19th November and this debate will obviously influence the further development of this policy and the Safer City Plan which is due to be completed by March 2008 and will cover the period April 08 to March 2011.
The following actions summarise the key steps required to implement the draft policy:
1 - **_Engaging Political Members_
In order for this policy to be effective, it is crucial that elected members are engaged both in its development and subsequent implementation. Therefore, it is recommended that in the short term the remit of the All Party Working Group originally set up to oversee the Parks Safer neighbourhoods Pilot is widened to oversee the development of the Safer City Plan. However, as this group will cease to exist after March 2008 it is further recommended that after March 2008 each Party Group nominates a member to act as a representative for their party on the safer city agenda and more specifically anti-social behaviour. Nominations should be made in light of membership of groups such as the[[ District Policing Partnership]] and Community Safety Partnership.
The remit of those representatives will be to:
1. Participate in and lead, in conjunction with external partners, Belfast City Council's contribution to the development, implementation and review of the Safer City Plan
2. Work alongside the Interdepartmental Safer City Group to direct and coordinate Belfast City Council's approach to tackling anti-social behaviour and the wider safer city agenda
3. Monitor Belfast City Council's success in tackling anti-social behaviour
4. Oversee the review of the policy to tackle anti-social behaviour
5. Act as spokespersons in respect of Council's success in tackling anti-social behaviour in Belfast
2 - **_Cross-departmental Working_
It is recommended that each Department should nominate at least one member of staff to act as an Anti-social Behaviour Liaison Officer. This should not need to be a new post, although for some public facing departments a number of staff may need to be tasked with this responsibility.
The role of these officers will be:
1. To lead the roll out of this policy, and the associated Safer City Plan, within their department
2. To provide feedback on the contributions of their department to the Safer City Plan and this policy
3. To facilitate the referral of reports of anti-social behaviour which cannot be dealt with through existing departmental processes and require a partnership approach
4. To identify the most appropriate staff for training
5. To assist in developing internal procedures which are required for the final policy
6. To participate, or ensure representation as required, in anti-social behaviour fora or assist in the resolution of anti-social behaviour incidents that require the input of their department.
In the longer-term these officers may also be expected to act as a point of information and guidance within their Department.
3 - **_Legal Assistance/Enforcement_
Legal Services could potentially have a significant role to play in tackling anti-social behaviour by supporting relevant enforcement procedures and also through providing training, advice and guidance for staff. There is also likely to be an increase in the number of referrals to Legal Services in the future.
Resources would specifically need to be made available within Legal Services to allow for a review of Council Bye-Laws (with appropriate departmental staff) and to identify and review the legal options available to Council to deal with nuisance and anti-social behaviour. Subsequent to this review staff in a number of Services will require training on the resulting decisions and processes associated with pursuing relevant prosecutions.
Therefore, the resources made available within Legal Services to support both the review and resulting work may require detailed consideration.
4 - **_Information Management to Tackle Anti-Social Behaviour_
The Environmental Health Service has identified the need to improve coordination of information sharing, gathering and analysis within the Service to allow a more effective approach to talking anti-social behaviour. A project team has been established to progress this work and it is proposed that the learning from this project could inform this work at a corporate level. This work takes into consideration the development of CityStat, ongoing work undertaken by the Safer Neighbourhoods Pilot within Parks & Leisure and that of the Workplace Health Unit.
5 - **_Strategic Co-ordination_
In light of the above recommendations it is proposed that Departments consider their contribution to the safer city agenda, and in particular anti-social behaviour, during their business planning processes. The internal Safer City Group will drive this internal co-ordination and will be supported by a dedicated Safer City Officer.
Resource Implications
At this time, the resource implications for this phase in the development of the policy are likely to be accommodated by existing resources and personnel within the community safety team and various departments. However, should the principles of the policy be adopted there may be longer-term resource implications such as for legal services and other enforcement services throughout Council. Thus, as the procedures and approach are developed, a business plan will accompany any future recommendations for improvement or change.
Recommendations
The Committee is asked to consider the draft policy and endorse the steps required to bring about implementation. Feedback from the Committee will inform the final policy which will then be brought forward for adoption.
Key to Abbreviations
COMT - Chief Officers' Management Team.
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