Government announces powers to tackle anti-social behaviour

Resident groups on council estates in England are to be given new powers to tackle anti-social behaviour and take day-to-day control of council services, the government has announced.

Prime Minister Tony Blair and Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly announced the new powers.

The regulations would give Tenant Management Organisations powers to apply for anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos). The powers would give local residents a greater say in how their estates are run and support them in ensuring that disruptive, anti-social behaviour is dealt with swiftly and effectively.

Asbos prevent people from committing specific anti-social acts or ban them from certain areas. They can be used to clamp down on anything from noisy neighbours to nuisance, harassment and race hate crime.

Mr Blair said: "No-one knows better how to transform a community than the people that live there. Nothing undermines a sense of community more than the kind of disruptive and aggressive actions that we associate with anti-social behaviour.

"Local people are increasingly playing a bigger role in the decisions that affect them and the areas in which they live. The new extended powers will ensure that those people who are most affected by anti-social behaviour can take the swift action that is needed to stamp it out."

The government has also announced an additional £485 million investment to update run-down council housing as part of a programme to raise the standard of all social housing.

The funding, which brings the total amount allocated to councils with Arms Length Management Organisations for improving council homes since 2002 to £3.7 billion - will enable 17 local authorities across the country to continue their work in ensuring their properties meet the Decent Homes Standard.

Mrs Kelly said: "Poor housing can make areas unpopular to live in and create a bad reputation. The ongoing investment we are putting into decent homes together with the growing role for tenants in shaping their own environments is transforming not just individual homes but entire communities.

"The new powers to tackle anti-social behaviour is another step towards making this transformation a reality across the country and making sure that the improvements we want to see are happening both inside and outside the home."

(KMcA)