ASB complaints lead to court

Tenants in Redditch are being reminded that communities will be protected from anti-social behaviour (ASB) after three court orders were granted in one day.

All three were brought by Redditch Borough Council’s Housing services in partnership with the police’s Safer Neighbourhood Team and granted last Monday (March 3), following lengthy attempts to stop the ASB.

One man, arrested and bailed to not approach housing staff, received an injunction with the power of arrest to not cause nuisance or annoyance to anyone in his road, and to not intimidate or abuse council staff or solicitors, or contact them except in court-approved ways. It followed on from breaches of a previous ASB injunction. The borough council was also granted a mandatory possession for persistent intimidation and ASB, and he will be evicted for this in the coming weeks.

Another injunction now prevents a man from using or threatening violence towards, or intimidating or abusing, anyone in his road or anyone working on behalf of the council, with the power of arrest, and he must clear rubbish from outside his property.

And the third order saw a temporary closure order granted for a council property that has been the subject of multiple complaints of ASB from the community. The council aims to get a full closure order at the next hearing with a view to taking back possession of this home in the future to protect the local community.

Redditch Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Housing, Cllr Bill Hartnett, said: “We want our tenants to know that we do not tolerate anti-social behaviour and neither must you. We will use our enforcement powers, working closely in partnership with the police, to protect our tenants’ and communities’ quality of life.

“Everyone has the right to live peacefully. Those who refuse to respect that right and who refuse to change their ways, who continue to behave anti-socially in breach of their tenancy conditions even after every effort has been made, should expect to lose their tenancy.”

The Leader of the Council, Cllr Joe Baker, added: “This kind of responsible neighbourhood management, together with ensuring we respond effectively to complaints, are important elements of our housing service’s approach to ASB.”

Inspector Richard Field from Redditch Safer Neighbourhood Team said: “West Mercia Police work collaboratively with a range of partners to address crime and anti-social behaviour in line with our commitment to reducing Neighbourhood crime in our communities. No one should feel unsafe in their own home, and I would encourage anyone affected by ASB to report this.”

If you are a council tenant and affected by anti-social behaviour, please contact 01527 587000 option 2 or neighbourhood.tenancy@bromsgroveandredditch.gov.uk.