Housing association home shut down by police

Published by Ross Macmillan for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Local Government

A home owned by a housing association in Suffolk has been closed down after police were granted a full closure application following persistent anti-social behaviour.

The property in Haverhill will be closed for three months, with the court order prohibiting anyone from entering or remaining on the premises.

The order, applied for under section 11 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, followed persistent anti-social behaviour associated with the property over the past 11 months.

Sergeant Sarah Bartley of the Haverhill Safer Neighbourhood Team said: “We have received a large volume of complaints about disturbances, noise and nuisance coming from this address, with 18 calls in the past three months and 20 further calls since June last year. A severe demand has been put on Haverhill officers attending all these calls which usually have required an emergency response. Examples of calls we have had are large fights, reports of underage drinking, noise and parties and solvent abuse.”

Police, Havebury Housing, who owns the property, and St Edmundsbury Borough Council have been working together to address the issues. Despite this work the problems have persisted, so the Safer Neighbourhood Team made the application for a closure order to try and improve the situation for good.

A St Edmundsbury Borough Council spokesman said, “We take issues of persistent anti-social behaviour very seriously and support this action. It is important for members of our community to feel safe and enjoy a good quality of life, free from this kind of nuisance and criminal behaviour.”

Havebury Housing Chief Executive, Karen Mayhew, added: "Havebury will not tolerate anti-social behaviour and will always respond robustly to any reports we receive and work closely with Suffolk Police where appropriate. We will support legal action to protect our residents from the inconsiderate behaviour of a minority and hope that this case will act as a warning to others that this type of behaviour is not acceptable."

Sgt Bartley added: “The order is positive in two ways – it demonstrates to the local community that police and partners are taking their complaints seriously and want to help, but also shows the perpetrators of anti-social behaviour that even if that behaviour is displayed within your own home, we will take action for the good of the wider community. No one should have to put up with such behaviour where they live."