Anti-Social Behaviour

What is it?

Anti-social behaviour is defined as 'behaviour by a person which causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to persons not of the same household as the person' (Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 and Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011).

Examples can be.

  • Rowdy inappropriate behvaiour
  • Vandalism and graffiti 
  • Fly tipping and littering
  • Nuisance vehicles
  • People using or dealing drugs
  • Dog fouling
  • Begging
  • Road safety
  • Street drinking

How are we tackling it? 

The Safer St Helens partnership consists of agencies who have the powers to tackle ASB. This includes Merseyside Police, Merseyside Fire and Resuce Service, local housing providers, and several departments within St Helens Borough Council. The partnership recognises that ASB, drug misuse and environmental crime are high on the list of your priorities for action. We understand that if you become a victim of ASB it can have a negative effect on your quality of life.

We are continuing to work together to identify, challenge and where appropriate, educate or prosecute those who commit ASB.

We use a wide range of legislation and tools to help tackle perpetrators and run a number of annual campaigns to tackle seasonal rises in anti-social behaviour:

  • Spring (Springwatch) to tackle expected rises in ASB, off-road vehicles, nuisance fires and neighbour nuisance.
  • Summer (Safe Space) to reduce ASB in parks and open spaces
  • Autumn (Good Guy) to reduce the likelihood of accidents and damage relating to ASB and nuisance fires in the period around Halloween and Bonfire night.

What can you do?

We will always tackle ASB professionally and with priority. But, community support plays a key role in helping to reduce it.

There are a number of ways you can play an active role in your community:

  • Report anti-social behaviour when you see it happening
  • Join a community watch group on social media
  • Keep a log detailing who is involved and when to gather evidence

 

Click here for a guide on reporting ASB.