William Sutton Homes: Anti-Social Behaviour Policies and Procedures – Summary

William Sutton Homes (WSH) aims to be a responsible and significant stakeholder in the communities it serves. These communities include our residents, and other residents in and around accommodation managed by us. We recognise our authority to act, in partnership with other agencies such as the Police and local authorities, to stop anti-social behaviour and prevent its repetition. In doing this we will continue to work and develop its services in order to meet the Respect Standard for Housing Management set by Communities and Local Government.

WSH sees tackling anti-social behaviour as a whole-organisation responsibility. We will not tolerate such behaviour.  We will require officers in all parts of the organisation to take responsibility, in their own day-to-day work, for the safety and well-being of residents and of service providers in and around our accommodation.

WSH, whenever necessary, will use the full range of tools and powers available to the organisation to tackle anti-social behaviour. Our responses will be appropriate to the circumstances of each case, and proportionate to the needs of the community and individuals harmed by the behaviour. In all reported cases, we will conduct a sensible investigation of the facts of the case. We will take action which is based on these facts and which reflects the impact of the behaviour on individuals and the wider community.

In our procedures, WSH will have three clear levels of priority to establish the speed and type of action which will be taken in each reported case. The highest priority will be given to cases which involve serious criminal activity, violence (including domestic violence), racist and other hate-behaviour. We will keep clear records of our casework, including the categories of anti-social behaviour in each case, and the action taken to stop it.

At the same time, we will work in partnership with communities. We will inform and empower them so that they can expect, require and maintain clear and reasonable standards of behaviour towards all in the community. We will publish this short version of our policies and procedures on anti-social behaviour, and will have available at all our offices, and on our website,  a copy of the complete version. We will publish in our newsletters details of successful casework from all areas and, where appropriate, we will tell affected communities of the specific action taken in local cases.

We will work with specialist agencies engaged in the diversion away from anti-social behaviour of those who have caused harm to others in the community.

 We recognise and celebrate the diversity of the communities we serve. In delivering our services to stop anti-social behaviour we will have regard to the special needs of individuals who might otherwise find it difficult to use them. Appropriate arrangements will be put in place through translators and other specialist local support agencies whenever this is necessary.

We will train our staff in our procedures to tackle and prevent anti-social behaviour.

We will review our procedures on anti-social behaviour on at least an annual basis, in the light of changes in legislation and according to the expressed needs of the communities it serves.

January 2008