Cash aid to combat loutish behaviour

OLDHAM Council is set to cash in on £54,000 in the fight against anti-social behaviour.

The cash can be used to provide extra training for housing officers and neighbourhood wardens in dealing with the problem, as well community projects.

Oldham is among 130 councils involved in the £10 million drive to re-enforce awareness of existing laws.

Other measures the money could be used for include targeted leaflet drops, environmental clean-up campaigns, projects to keep young people off the streets, as well as more support for victims.

Communities secretary John Denham said the cash was going to areas where councils identified tackling anti-social behaviour a priority.

He said: “We want to ensure front-line staff know what to do in tackling anti-social behaviour.

“People also need to know what they can expect from their local authority and police.

“The money, split between local authorities, will give them the chance to look at their anti-social behaviour policies and make sure everything is in place and this money gives them the capacity to do this.”

Mr Denham also announced new measures to tackle anti-social behaviour for people living in social housing. Tenants will be given support to challenge councils, police and landlords when they are failing to act quickly enough.

New guidance for social landlords to provide them with a detailed understanding of how to use their powers effectively will also be given out.

Latest figures from the British Crime Survey show there has been a fall in people’s perception of anti-social behaviour as a local problem over the last six years.

But ministers say statistics are of little comfort to victims and everyone had to do their part in ridding the streets of anti-social behaviour.

A survey released earlier this year revealed 30.4 per cent of people in Oldham think anti-social behaviour is a problem in their area.