Anti-social behaviour can have adverse effect on communities
By Aideen O'Flaherty
A DRAFT anti-social behaviour strategy was presented at last month’s meeting of South Dublin County Council, with the council stating that they “recognise that anti-social behaviour can have a very significant adverse effect” on council tenants and their communities.
The council presented the draft strategy in order to bring their strategy in line with the current legislative framework and guidelines relating to anti-social behaviour that all local authorities are to adopt.
The measures the local authority will take to combat anti-social behaviour will include a preventative staged warning process
The council stated in its report that it has approximately 10,000 social housing tenants and that “it is accepted that only small numbers of persons are involved in anti-social behaviour.”
The measures the local authority will take to combat anti-social behaviour will include a preventative staged warning process, in a bid to deter people who engage in anti-social behaviour, and also the use of multi-agency panels linking SDCC with statutory and non-statutory bodies.
Anti-social behaviour by council tenants can be grouped into three categories; issues to do with drug use, and behaviour that is “likely to cause any significant or persistent danger, injury, damage, loss or fear to any person living, working or otherwise in the vicinity of a house provided by the housing authority.”
The third category of anti-social behaviour concerns the breach of terms within the tenancy agreement that does not fall within the two aforementioned categories.
The council stated that these policies will be “implemented through the development of an annual action plan” for the council’s estate management section.
The council will also endeavour to respond to all complaints of anti-social behaviour within five working days, with serious cases being prioritised, and an investigation into the anti-social behaviour will be initiated within ten working days.
Residents can call the Estate Management Unit on 01 414 9000 or email cccounter [at] sdublincoco [dot] ie to lodge a complaint about a tenant engaging in anti-social behaviour.
