Anti-social behaviour

The Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB), Crime and Policing Act 2014 introduced specific measures designed to give victims and communities a say in the way that complaints of anti-social behaviour are dealt with.

This includes the anti-social behaviour case review, (previously known as the Community Trigger), which gives victims of persistent anti-social behaviour reported to any of the main responsible agencies (such as the council, police or housing provider) the right to request a multi-agency case review where a local threshold is met, the relevant bodies and responsible authorities who undertake the case review are:

• councils
• police
• Integrated Care Boards in England and Local Health Boards in Wales
• registered providers of social housing who are co-opted into this group

An application may either come directly from the victims of anti-social behaviour or from a third party (with the victim’s consent), such as a family member, friend or local elected representative (a councillor or MP).

The victim may be an individual, a business or a community group.

The anti-social behaviour case review can be used if you have complained to your local council, Suffolk police and/ or your housing provider

• on three or more occasions about separate incidents of anti-social behaviour in the past six months, and
• reported each incident of anti-social behaviour within one month of it happening, and
• request a case review within six months of when you reported the incident.

This is called the threshold. If the threshold is not met the ASB Case Review will not take place.

You have the right to request a review of your case if you have complained to your local council, Suffolk police or your housing provider and you feel that no effective action has been taken to resolve it.

You can activate an anti-social behaviour case review and request a review of your case by contacting your district/ borough council.

East Suffolk residents:

• East Suffolk council
• Main switchboard: 0333 016 2000

Babergh and Mid Suffolk residents:

• Babergh district council
• Mid Suffolk district council
• Main switchboard: 0300 123 4000

Ipswich residents:

• Ipswich borough council
• Main switchboard: 01473 432000

West Suffolk residents (covering Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury):

• West Suffolk
• Main switchboard: 01284 763233

Information you will be asked to provide

To request a Case Review and to fill in the form, you will need:

• your name, address and contact details
• the dates of each time you have complained
• who you reported the incidents to
• details of who you complained to (name, organisation, and/or incident reference numbers you were given)
• information about the anti-social behaviour.

Agencies, including local authorities, the police, local health teams and registered providers of social housing have a duty to undertake a case review when someone requests one and their case meets a locally defined threshold.

If the request does not qualify for an ASB case review then you will receive a letter confirming the outcome, explaining why the request was turned down along with details of the appeal process.

Your appeal must be received by Suffolk County Council community safety within 21 working days of either:

• The date you were notified of the decision that you are appealing against, or
• The date you were notified of the outcome you are appealing against.

If you disagree with the outcome of an ASB case review you can request an appeal. This must be completed within 21 working days of the outcome letter sent to you from your district/ borough council.

An ASB case review may only be escalated to the Countywide Anti-Social Behaviour Appeal Panel where one of the following measures is satisfied:

1. the ASB case review has failed to consider a relevant process, policy or protocol
2. the ASB case review has failed to consider relevant factual information

When you submit an ASB case review appeal application the role of the Countywide Anti-Social Behaviour Appeal Panel will be to consider:

• that due processes have been undertaken in relation to your case
• ensure that the nominated relevant bodies involved in your case have properly and effectively undertaken the review

In considering the appeal, the Countywide Anti-Social Behaviour Appeal Panel can either:

• uphold the appeal and refer the case back to the district/ borough council and nominated relevant bodies, asking them to consider a particular process, policy or protocol not previously considered, or
• determine that the district/ borough council and nominated relevant bodies have reviewed the case, considering all relevant policies, processes and protocols satisfactorily in line with the ASB case review process.

If you would like to continue to appeal the outcome of your ASB case review, please complete this short form.

The Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Case Review does not replace individual organisations complaints procedures or your opportunity to complain to the Local Authority Ombudsman or Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), if you are unhappy about the service you have received.