Agenda item - Hate Incident Policy Consultation

-       18:40

-       10 Minutes

-       Papers included

-       Verbal briefing

-       Emma Gilbert (Tenancy Services Operations Manager) lead item

6  HATE INCIDENT POLICY CONSULTATION                                37 – 54

6.1 JH provided a verbal briefing on the item as included in the agenda. Providing a breakdown of information on the ‘YourVoice’ consultation that had recenty been implemented,

6.2 Cllr Mackey thanked the officers for their efforts and gave their backing to the policy.

6.3 MW raised concerns regarding anti-social behaviour in Bates Estate and how this policy would affect that. Janet Dowdell provided a verbal briefing on the operational steps being taken with regard to the policy, as well as how this was interwoven with other initiatives in the authority and local area to ensure the tenancy could succeed, detailing a stepped approach to such issues.

6.4 MW queried the policies approach to those who had already been rehoused. JH detailed the authorities’ response to this and made note that they had the ability to request a closure order from the magistrates as well as the arrangements for housing officers to work with both the perpetrators and the victims to ensure the least disturbance possible.

6.5 HH queried as to why authorities would move the victim and not the perpetrator, JD informed residents that every case was different and there was no ‘blanket approach’. HH detailed a case of anti-social behaviour in Coldean, JD responded that they were not aware of the individual case and that the best thing for residents to do was to report the incidents to the authority.

6.6 DJ queried whether hate incidents and anti-social behaviour were mutually exclusive and the difference between the two and criminal behaviour. JD provided the definition of a hate incident, providing a brief on the outline for the policy, ‘providing a response to victims of hate incidents. This confirmed the original question regarding whether Hate Incidents could take the form of anti-social or criminal behaviour. DJ noted a case that had been raised in Hollingdean, JD confirmed that they were unable to comment on individual cases but reaffirmed the policy’s intention of providing a response to issues being raised such as this one.