Community Safety
Anti-social behaviour
The term anti-social behaviour covers a wide range of unacceptable activities that blight the lives of people on a regular basis. It often leaves victims feeling helpless, desperate and with a seriously reduced quality of life. Terms such as ‘nuisance’, ‘disorder’ and ‘harassment’ are often used to describe this type of behaviour. To be classed as anti-social behaviour it needs to be a clear pattern of behaviour over a period of time. We have an Anti-Social Behaviour Team to ensure all issues and concerns are dealt with in a co-ordinated way throughout the Safer Arun Partnership. If you would like to report anti-social behaviour you can either call the dedicated 24-hour answerphone service on 0808 141 2800 (free from UK landlines), or email asb@arun.gov.uk.
Isolated incidents cannot be classed as anti-social behaviour, nor can run of the mill disputes between neighbours or petty intolerance due to different lifestyles. If you have a dispute with your neighbour you can contact the Sussex Mediation Service for help and advice.
If you have reported anti-social behaviour and feel you haven’t had a response you can request a review of the case using the Community Trigger.
Community safety
Our Community Safety Team works as part of the Safer Arun Partnership (SAP) to improve the safety of the community and to reassure the public that Arun is a safe place in which to live, work and visit. SAP was set up to bring local agencies together with the aim to reduce crime and disorder and to improve the environment. Key partners include:
- Arun District Council
- Sussex Police
- West Sussex County Council
- West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service
- Probation
- NHS
Anti-social behaviour is one of SAP’s main priorities. We believe everyone has the right to live in a clean and safe place without other people’s behaviour impacting on their quality of life. Other current priorities for SAP include:
- Think Family
- Street Communities
- Public Confidence
Hate incidents & hate crime
A hate crime is any offence that is motivated by hostility based on the victim’s disability, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender identity. If you, or someone you know, experiences discrimination or harassment which you believe is based on any of the factors above, you can report it to the Hate Incident Support Service at West Sussex County Council.
Designated Public Places Order (DPPO)
We have made certain parts of the district subject to drinking control legislation. Designating geographical sections of the district as Drinking Control Areas will not prevent all on-street drinking in these specific localities, but it will give extra powers to the police against people who are creating nuisance, disorder or annoyance to the public.
A copy of the full order can be found here: DPPO alcohol notice post.pdf [pdf] 17KB.
The purpose of this order is not to disrupt peaceful activities, for example families having a picnic in a park or on the beach with a glass of wine. The Act makes it clear that this power is to be used explicitly for addressing nuisance or annoyance associated with the consumption of alcohol in a public place. Police officers have discretionary powers to challenge anyone consuming alcohol if their behaviour is causing a problem or if the police officer believes that the consumption of the alcohol will lead to problematic behaviour. These powers do not make it a criminal offence to consume alcohol within a designated area. An offence is only committed if the individual refuses to comply with a constable’s request to refrain from drinking. The boundaries of the DPPO areas in Arun can be found below:
Littlehampton boundary.pdf [pdf] 4MB
Community Trigger
Responding to and tackling anti-social behaviour and hate crime is a key priority for the Safer Arun Partnership (SAP). The police, the council, and registered housing providers have robust processes in place to deal with anti-social behaviour and hate crimes, but there is more help available to those who feel they haven’t received the service they deserve.
The community trigger is a process which gives individual victims or communities the opportunity to ask agencies to review their response to anti-social behaviour or hate incidents they have reported. This process is supported by a network of agencies within the SAP. The process is there to ensure agencies share information and work together to support repeat and vulnerable victims. You can use the community trigger if:
- You have reported three anti-social behaviour or hate incidents about the same issue in the last six months to the police, the council or your housing provider and no action has been taken. You can activate the process on behalf of someone else if you have their written consent
- The anti-social behaviour or hate incident was reported within one month of the incident taking place, and;
- The application should be made within six months of the first incident being reported
The community trigger is in place to make sure there is a review where cases have been reported and no satisfactory action has been taken. It does not replace the complaints procedure of individual agencies.
You will need to download and complete the Community Trigger Form.pdf [pdf] 173KB providing details of all three reported incidents relating to the case. This should be returned to the Community Safety team at community.trigger@arun.gov.uk or to the Littlehampton address below. You will be notified within three working days if your case meets the criteria. If it does, a further review of the case will be carried out by all relevant agencies and recommendations as to how your case can progress will be made. These will be reported to you within a further 10 working days. If you are not happy with the decisions made or wish to comment on the service received you can use the standard complaints procedure for whichever agency is the lead for your case. For further information please email community.trigger@arun.gov.uk.