Resident Questions for Housing Area Panel
Reference Number: E3.1
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Department |
Housing |
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Date question raised |
25/08/2022 |
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Date of Area Panel |
W/O - 10/10/22 |
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Area in city |
EAST |
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Star rating applied by residents |
3 stars |
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Deadline for officer response |
19/09/22 |
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Name of officer responding |
Aaron Burns/Justine Harris |
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Officer job title |
Head of Homelessness and Housing Options/Head of Tenancy Services[KC1] [JH2] [JH3] [JH4] |
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Title of Question |
Anti-social behaviour |
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Issue |
Police are being blocked by the Council when carrying out investigations into anti-social behaviour. |
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Background |
All East area Associations reported many instances of anti-social behaviour, such as intimidation, drug-dealing, drug-taking, cuckooing, and vandalism. Residents at Craven Vale reported that there is a tenant on the estate in a ‘Sensitive Let’, who has been intimidating a young single mother, and shooting an air rifle at her. Residents have been told to report anti-social behaviour to the police. However, police officers who are investigating the issues have told residents that they are blocked by the Council from taking any further action and investigation. There is one instance in Craven Vale where police requested CCTV footage from the Council, but the police have not heard anything back. Residents believe that the Council do not take enough action on tenants reported for anti-social behaviour when these tenants are classed as ‘vulnerable’, opting instead for giving the tenant the option of moving elsewhere or attending court. This does not resolve the problem, and only moves the issue to a different area. While residents understand the need to house vulnerable people, the mental health of all those who live in the area is being severely impacted by such individuals.
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Action requested by residents |
1. Why are the Council blocking the police from pursuing their investigations into anti-social behaviour, and obstructing further action? 2. What are the Council doing to resolve these issues? |
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Officer contact details |
Aaron.Burns@brighton-hove.gov.uk
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Officer Response |
1. The council cooperate fully with the police when they make a formal request to view or access any CCTV that we hold following an incident. The police and the council follow a process with which to request information is shared.
To ensure that we are complying with our legal obligation in respect to responsibilities under the Data Protection Act, we ask for evidence that the request has been authorised by a senior officer. There can sometimes be a delay in authorisation.
If this occurs, we collect the data requested but cannot release it until the form is completed and validated. We have a minimum of a 28-day retention period for footage. Events captured beyond this time frame are unlikely to be retained. Some of our newer CCTV units have fewer cameras and less footfall can retain footage for longer but not usually beyond 56 days.
2. The local authority has a legal duty to provide accommodation for homeless clients some of whom will have an additional level of need. It is never possible to completely factor out issues as those highlighted in the question are often variable in nature. The local authority has to balance support and enforcement when issues occur within a tenancy to protect not only the tenant but also the local community. It is accepted that these issues can be challenging for neighbours.
The council is currently in the process of reviewing its commissioned supported housing pathway. Within this review, we will be looking at increasing supported housing capacity for homeless clients identified with additional needs reducing the need to provide dispersed accommodation within its stock.
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Action |
To review the commissioned supported housing pathway |
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Start date |
N/A |
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End date |
N/A |
@Janet Dowdell @Justine Harris @Housing Area Panel Questions [KC1] [KC1]
Please can you answer the Area Panel Question within the officer response by Wednesday 14th September. Please let us know if you have any questions or if this has been assigned to the wrong person. Thanks.
@Allan Haryott Hi, are you able to help with the response to the first action? [JH2] [JH2]
@Aaron Burns I know this isn't your area but are you able to help bullet point actions Sam has taken i will get info from Rachelle. I don't lnow if Margret is in post as the manager? [JH3] [JH3]