Crime Prevention Minister visits RHP

Published by Eddie for Richmond Housing Partnership Limited in Housing and also in Central Government, Communities

UK Minister for Crime Prevention, Jeremy Browne, visited housing association RHP today to learn more about its influential work to reduce anti-social behaviour (ASB), both locally and across the UK.  

RHP has been involved in a number of high profile initiatives to develop new ASB legislation in the UK and was the only social housing provider chosen to trial the Community Trigger, a new tool the Government are considering to help improve the way different organisations tackle ASB together. RHP worked alongside Richmond Council and the Metropolitan Police to make the trial a success, and Mr Browne was particularly interested in how the Trigger works in practice.

Mr Browne says: “The Community Trigger will give people greater power by allowing them to demand that agencies who ignore their complaints take action. It is encouraging to see the borough of Richmond putting this new approach into practice, working together to put victims first and ensure they feel safe in their homes.

The trigger is just one of the new steps the government is taking to ensure local solutions are found for local problems. We are also streamlining the number of powers available deal with anti-social behaviour from 19 to 6, making it easier to deal with problems and speeding up the process for evicting the most antisocial tenants.”

RHP’s ASB Manager, Ian Whiteway, appeared before a Commons Select Committee on 15 January alongside Robert Dobbs, Director of Housing, to discuss wider implementation of the Community Trigger and to support the Draft Anti-social Behaviour Bill due to be passed later this year.

Ian Whiteway, ASB Manager at RHP, says: “We are grateful to be able to help shape such important changes to UK legislation and to help our customers get the very best from our service. RHP’s strong infrastructure and partnerships with Richmond Council and the Metropolitan Police ensure that any reported anti-social behaviour is dealt with efficiently, however this pilot helps us guarantee that every single person who reports ASB in the borough is supported and gets a thorough response.”

RHP took the lead in developing the vulnerability risk assessment matrix that is now used nationally to better support ASB victims and claims one of the quickest ever ‘DIY’ injunctions, granted in just seven hours following a serious incident. The housing association has also contributed to enhanced information sharing protocols to reduce alcohol related ASB in Richmond and Hounslow.

For more information visit www.rhp.org.uk