Details of a new crackdown on anti-social behaviour have been revealed. A trial will take place in 16 areas of England and Wales for increased police presence, swift punishments, or both.
Greater Manchester is not involved in the trial, but the Government says its new schemes will be rolled out across England and Wales from 2024. Meanwhile, nitrous oxide will be banned under a 'zero-tolerance approach', the Government says.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "Anti-social behaviour undermines the basic right of people to feel safe in the place they call home. The public have rightly had enough - which is why I am determined to restore people’s confidence that those responsible will be quickly and visibly punished.
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“This action plan maps out how we will tackle this issue with the urgency it deserves and stamp out these crimes once and for all - so that wherever you live, you can feel safe in, and proud of your community.” The Government says its Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan will 'give the police and local authorities the tools they need to tackle the problem'.
Six areas, including Lancashire, will take part in a trial for 'hotspot policing'. These areas will see an increase in police presence alongside other uniformed authority figures, such as wardens, in problem areas for anti-social behaviour - such as public transport, high streets or parks.
The Government hopes this increased presence will help deter anti-social behaviour, step up enforcement action against offenders, and make sure crimes are punished more quickly. A further six areas, including Merseyside, will take part in a trial for 'immediate justice'.
Four more areas, including Derbyshire, will take part in a trial for both 'hotspot policing' and 'immediate justice'. In these areas, those found committing anti-social behaviour will be made to repair the damage they inflicted on victims and communities, with the Government hoping this will take place within 48 hours.
Offenders will be made to wear high-vis vests or jumpsuits and work under supervision. They could be made to pick up litter, remove graffiti and wash police cars as punishment for their actions, while victims of anti-social behaviour will be given a say in offenders’ punishments in their communities.
In addition to the ban on nitrous oxide - which is the third most used drug among 16 to 24-year-olds in England according to the Government - police will also be given new powers to crack down on other illegal substance use. This includes expanding powers for drug testing on arrest, and testing for more drugs, including ecstasy and methamphetamine.
Further measures include a new 'reporting tool' which will be made available for people to log incidents of anti-social behaviour, increasing fines for graffiti and littering, and giving landlords more powers to evict 'unruly tenants' responsible for persistent noise or drunk and disorderly behaviour. There will also be more funding for 43 youth centres, plus parks and green spaces, and new powers for councils to sell off empty buildings.
The proposals have already been criticised by one Greater Manchester MP though. Lucy Powell, Labour MP for Manchester Central, told Sky News' Sophy Ridge On Sunday that the Government’s anti-social behaviour plan 'amounts to nothing'.
"We’ve heard it all before from this Government," she said. "And I think we have to judge them by their record and community sentencing over the last thirteen years is down not just by a third, but by two thirds.”
She added: “They scrapped the Asbo (Antisocial behaviour orders) regime that the last Labour government brought in and under their watch anti-social behaviour has got worse, sentencing has fallen immeasurably and we’re seeing crimes going unsolved. So yes, we hear these sort of re-boots and another re-boot and another announcement to get the Sunday media attention, but I think it amounts to nothing.”
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