A number of councils have written to ministers calling for more powers to tackle deliberate and persistent antisocial behaviour and criticising plans to replace antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs).
Co-ordinated by Westminster City Council, the letter was also signed by Birmingham, Nottingham, Slough and Southampton City Councils, all of which also want the automatic power of arrest for repeat offenders.
The proposal under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill is that ASBOs would be replaced by injunctions to prevents nuisance and annoyance (IPNAs) but the signatories say that these will lack ‘bite’.
Unlike with an ASBO, breaching an IPNA would not be an explicit offence but would only be treated as a contempt of court, which the councils maintain will weaken their powers to protect communities and at the same time increase the process around enforcement.
In the letter to Crime Prevention Minister Norman Baker, they said that attempting to improve the behaviour of troublesome teenagers without criminalising them is one thing but that it is another thing entirely to take away the stick local authorities need to tackle behaviour such as aggressive begging.
However, Mr Baker maintains that the new powers contained in the bill were “fast and adaptable” and would “make it easier for local authorities to protect their communities”.
He added that the Government will continue to engage with councils and others to develop guidance on how best these new powers can help counter a wide range of anti-social behaviour and will listen to the views of local authorities regarding antisocial behaviour as it has done throughout the development of the Bill.