Community Safety Partnership

Antisocial Behaviour

As a result of significant funding from the Scottish Government, South Ayrshire Council in partnership with Strathclyde Police and other Community Safety partners has set up a specialist team of officers to tackle antisocial behaviour in South Ayrshire.

'The Antisocial Behaviour Team' is committed to tackling antisocial behaviour through a problem solving multi-agency approach. The antisocial behaviour team works closely with Strathclyde Police, other Council departments, landlords and voluntary agencies to find local solutions to the local problems presented by antisocial behaviour. There are close links with the Community Support Officers in the areas where these are working. The team will focus on using preventative and diversionary methods to resolve antisocial behaviour problems, but will take enforcement action where appropriate.

The service provided by the team extends across all housing tenures including home owners, council tenants, tenants of registered social landlords and private tenants.

What is Antisocial behaviour?
Everyone has a different idea about what antisocial behaviour means. The Antisocial Behaviour (Scotland) Act 2004 defines antisocial behaviour as where someone :

acts in a manner that causes or is likely to cause alarm or distress
OR
pursues a course of conduct that causes or is likely to cause alarm or distress to at least one person not of the same household as them.

However, antisocial behaviour can mean different things to different people and can cover a range of behaviour. For example :

Persistent troublesome behaviour by a small group of people in a local area, who perhaps dominate others or cause minor damage to property, possibly at unsociable hours.
Fly tipping or illegal dumping of unwanted household or commercial items in public spaces
Persistent abusive behaviour towards neighbours causing them fear or distress
Serious persistent bullying of children in public recreation grounds or on the way to school
Persistent nuisance and threatening behaviour as a result of substance or alcohol abuse

The team will not usually investigate estate management issues such as untidy gardens or boundary disputes. However we do recognise that behaviour regarded as acceptable by some can be seen as antisocial and unacceptable to others. Expectations of standards of behaviour can vary between communities, groups within communities and individuals.

The antisocial behaviour team is based in Ayr and consists of a team coordinator, 4 antisocial behaviour investigators, Mediation and Victim Support Co-ordinator, an officer responsible for targeting harder to reach groups and promoting diversionary activities, a seconded police officer and an administrative assistant.

The antisocial behaviour team became fully operational in February 2005 and since then has received details of over 145 cases. The team is currently working on around 70 ‘live’ cases.

Antisocial Behaviour Cases - April 06 to March 07