Community Update Leaflet

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Anti-Social Behaviour Problem?

One of the most regular complaints we have raised surrounds the issue of anti-social behaviour and criminality in the ward.

We would strongly urge residents to contact the Police in addition to contacting the Council to ensure that issues are dealt with swifty. The Council contact is 01634 333333 or drop us an email or call.

For more information on the Police in Luton & Wayfield a new page has been set up with details of crime and contacts in the ward

Graffiti Cleared

Your Luton & Wayfield team are working with residents to clean up our community and make it a better place to live.

We have been working on a number of initiatives to remove visible graffiti and have undertaken a ward tour to identify problem areas. We are using the Lovemedway.co.uk application to report instances.

One such success can be seen on Pheasant Road where we have led on removing graffiti

BEFORE

AFTER

If you do see graffiti please do report it online at lovemedway.co.uk

Love Medway: Report it

Graffiti on Pheasant Road. Reported via LoveMedway.co.uk

Despite the advertisement across Medway for the Love Medway programme there is a very real concern about the increasing amount of anti-social behaviour in the ward and its impacts on our community.

Readers may not be aware but the power to do something about it is at your fingertips!

With that in mind Medway Council has launched the Love Medway phone application which allows residents across Luton & Wayfield to report cases of graffiti and anti-social behaviour in the ward and review follow-up from the Council.

You can register on the lovemedway.co.uk website and to make things easier you can even register using your twitter, facebook and even blogger log-in.

All it then takes is for you to upload a photo of the concern and drop a pin on the location.

A public report is then generated which can be reviewed online from work or home. It is also publicly accessible.

We have reported this weekend an example of graffiti on Pheasant Road, opposite the Luton Primary School. We will track and report its follow-up.

As Councillors we will be taking further photos of anti-social behaviour in the ward and publicly advertise this to ensure residents can see transparency in the process.

We are also monitoring the Luton & Wayfield board closely and it is clear the follow-up is positive. There is some delay in the more complex cases where an issue relates to private housing and permissions needs to be garnered.

We urge all residents to support them scheme. A recent question revealed its current usage is very much aligned to Council staff; a more healthy mix of public engagement is required.

Dispersal Zone Success

Medway Messenger - 05/08/2011

Very pleased to see that the Dispersal Zone has been a success and we hope to get resident and PACT feedback shortly.

As ward councillors we will be meeting Sgt Dave Venus-Coppard shortly to underscore our support for the Dispersal Zone and our desire to see it extended into other parts of Luton and into Wayfield.

Medway Council do need to be more responsive to applications for Dispersal Zones and we welcome and support any effort by Cllr Mike O'Brien as Medway Safety Partnership lead to see what can be done.

Backing the Dispersal Zone

Councillors Osborne, Godwin and Craven have been actively backing the idea of a dispersal zone for inner Luton, and specifically around the All Saints area.

It was a key pledge to combat anti-social behaviour in the ward and we believe this zone will go along way in improving residents lives, many of whom are currently concerned by levels of petty criminality as we approach the summer months.

One of the issues raised on the doorstep include nuisance mopeds, alcohol-fuelled violence by underage drinkers and graffiti.

What is a dispersal zone?

The Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 (ASBA) created a raft of powers which can be used by Medway Council and Kent Police to crack down on everything from nuisance behaviour such as noisy neighbours to low-level but persistent criminality such as graffiti. All issues which impact our local residents.

Under the powers under-16s can be forcibly returned to their homes by the police if they are on the streets after nine at night and unaccompanied by an adult.

Police can also order people in a dispersal zone to leave the area and not return for 24 hours.

A dispersal zone can be as small as the area surrounding a cash point or as large as an entire open area of a housing estate or row of shops. Once a dispersal order is in place, the escort power can be used against any under-16, but it does not necessarily have to be used at all.

How are the orders made?

A superintendent or above can declare a dispersal zone, providing they have the support of the local council. In theory, this means that councils and police, both of whom may be receiving complaints about unruly teenagers, have an opportunity to work together to crack the problem.

We have been actvely speaking to residents in Luton about the dispersal zone and the idea has received significant support.

Once the area is established, any police or community support officer can take the unsupervised child home or order a 24-hour dispersal. Refusal to comply is a offence that can lead to the courts.

Problems targeted for dispersal have included roads popular with joyriders, underage drinking in parks and aggravation of shopkeepers.

We will be support efforts by the Police and working with resident groups to ensure this zone is introduced.