Statement of Policy 

on Anti-Social Behaviour


Defining 
the Problem 
Supporting 
witnesses 
Working in 
Partnership 
– Prevention 
Working in 
Partnership – 
Enforcement 
Evaluating our 
performance 
Communications 
Strategy 

FOREWORD 
Juliet Rawlings 
Chair of the TMO Board 
Anti-social behaviour has become an increasing problem on our estates. Our recent 
resident survey showed that, while there is greater satisfaction with most of the 
services that we provide, many still cite drugs, litter and youth related nuisance as 
significant problems. Needless to say, this has heightened the fear of crime amongst 
some of our residents and has caused distress and despair to individuals and 
communities at large. It is not possible for one organisation to tackle this alone. 
Multi agency working is vital if we are to tackle crime, disorder and nuisance on our 
estates. Residents and their associations have a key role to play in reporting antisocial behaviour. In particular, the TMO will continue to build on our good working 
relationship with the Council and the Police to create better communication and 
more effective joint action. 

Restoring public confidence in addressing anti-social behaviour is no easy task and 
this policy statement identifies the responsibilities we all have in dealing with the 
key issues We ask all residents to embrace the “three Rs”: 

Rights – all residents have a right to live in a clean, safe and decent neighbourhood; 

Responsibilities – all residents have a responsibility to make sure their family, friends 
visitors and animals behave appropriately both within their homes and in the 
neighbourhood; 

Respect – all residents are expected to respect their homes, their partners and their 
neighbourhood. 

I am pleased that this policy has been subject to an intensive consultation process to 
allow representatives to suggest improvements, and to ensure that it covers the 
issues that concern them. This is only the beginning, and we will continue to review 
our policies and procedures annually to make sure that they reflect best practice and 
address the concerns and priorities of our residents. 

The responsibility to tackle anti-social behaviour belongs to each one of us and 
together we can build better neighbourhoods. 

Timothy Coleridge 
Councillor 
I am pleased to be able to introduce this policy, developed and produced in 
partnership between the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea as landlord and 
the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation as 
manager of the borough’s housing stock. 

Safety and security and concerns about anti-social behaviour were identified in the 
TMO’s recent survey as the number one concern for residents. 

The Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 places a duty upon landlords to produce policy 
and procedures in respect of their response to anti-social behaviour. In the Royal 
Borough we have a long tradition of working to combat anti-social behaviour, for 
example, the borough’s innovative Rapid Reaction Protocol set up to deal with crack 
houses is now considered to be a model of good practice. We have had further 
success in preventing the anti-social behaviour that is a consequence of drug 
dealing by using Local Government powers to exclude known dealers from the 
borough. 

All of this is well documented and has been the subject of much media coverage. 

What is less well known, but just as important for our residents, is the work done by 
the TMO, the Council, the police and other agencies on what is described by some as 
“lower level” anti-social behaviour. This may be lower level in terms of the criminal 
law but is no less disturbing to its victims. This document attempts to define what 
we may consider as anti-social behaviour, discusses some of the preventative 
measures which may be available to us and our partners and, where such measures 
are unsuccessful, sets out the enforcement options we have at our disposal and the 
circumstances in which they will be used. 

I hope you will agree this is a very important publication, providing information for 
our residents about our commitment to tackle anti-social behaviour and hopefully 
give a sense of comfort to victims that their problems will be taken seriously and as 
a result encourage them to come forward for our help and support. 


INDEX 
Introduction Our Objectives 

Links OBJECTIVE 1 OBJECTIVE 2 

Defining the Problem Supporting Witnesses

What is Anti-Social 

Behaviour? iii 

1.1 Harassment 1 2.1 Security Measures 
The Community Strategy iii Definition to the Home 5 
The Community Safety Policy Statement 2.2 TMO2YOU 5 
Strategy 2002-2005 iii 

1.2 Domestic Violence 1 
The Housing Strategy 2.3 The Witness in Court 6 

Definition 

2003-2008 iii 

Policy Statement 2.4 Counselling Services 6 
The Homelessness Strategy iii Kensington and Chelsea Victim Support 

1.3 Drugs / Substance Use 2 
The TMO Business Plan Definition 
Social Services 
2002-2007 iii Education 
Policy Statement 
Our Approach – The Three ‘R’s iii Community Groups 

1.4 Anti-Social Youths 2 
Context and Achievements iv 

Definition 2.5 Use of Professional 
Partnership Working iv Policy Statement Witnesses 6 
The Police 

1.5 Noise 2 Environmental Services Officers 
Definition Private Security Guards 
Policy Statement Estate Staff 


1.6 Animals 
Definition 
3 Housing Officers/Tenancy Manager 
Private Investigator 
Policy Statement 
1.7 Environmental Issues 
Definition 
3 
2.6 The Vulnerable 
Perpetrator 7 
Policy Statement 
1.8 Filthy and Verminous 
Properties 
Definition 
3 
Policy Statement 

STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 

i 

INDEX 
OBJECTIVE 3 OBJECTIVE 4 OBJECTIVE 5 
Working in Partnership – Working in Partnership – Evaluating Our 
Prevention Enforcement Performance 

3.1 Mediation 9 4.1 Acceptable Behaviour 5.1 Monitoring 
Calm Mediation Service and the TMO Contract (ABC) 15 
Youth Mentoring 

4.2 Anti-Social Behaviour 
3.2 RBKC Education 
Order (ASBO) 15 
Welfare Service 9 OBJECTIVE 6 
Special Educational Needs 4.3 Injunctions to prevent Communications Strategy 
Social Inclusion Anti-Social Behaviour 15 

Reducing Youth Offending 6.1 How we communicate 
Children in Need and Child Protection 4.4 Injunctions against 16 with tenants andunlawful use of premises leaseholders 

3.3 RBKC Learning and 
Development Service 10 4.5 Injunctions against breach 
of tenancy agreement 16

Children’s Activities 

Youth Work 

4.6 Possession Action 16
Sports Development 

Summer Plus 
Anti-Social Behaviour and Harassment 

Grounds for Possession 

3.4 The Drugs Action Team 10 ASBO in conjunction with Possession 
Young People Orders 
Communities Demoted Tenancies 

Treatment 

Availability 4.7 Injunction under Section 
222 of the Local 

3.5 RBKC Social Services Support 
Government Act 1972 16 
for Adults with Mental 
Health Problems 
1 
4.8 Closure of premises 
Primary Care where drugs are 
CNWL Services unlawfully used 17 

Local Authority Services 
Other Client Groups 4.9 Dispersal Orders 17 

6.2 How we communicate 
throughout the 
organisation 
6.3 How we communicate 
with our partners 
6.4 How we communicate 
at a national level 
Appendix 

3.6 RBKC Resettlement Team 12 
3.7 The Youth Offending 
Team 12 
3.8 The Police 12 
The Royal Borough’s Community Safety 
Strategy 2002-2005 

4.10 Powers to Deal with Noise 
Nuisance – Environmental 
Health Noise and 
Nuisance Team 17 
Service of an Abatement Notice 

Failure to comply with the 
Abatement Notice 
Seeking an Injunction 

The Safer Neighbourhoods Initiative 
Sharing of Information 4.11 Filthy and Verminous 
Properties 17 
3.9 CASBAT 13 
3.10Environmental 
Services 
Noise 
Filthy and Verminous Properties 
13 

ii 
STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 


INTRODUCTION 
Introduction 


and community organisations. It 
recognises that:

“you want communities that are safe in 

which to live, work and play, where all 

services understand the impact of their 

actions on how safe you feel.” 

strategy however, is to provide clear 
descriptions of our commitments in 
respect of anti-social behaviour and the 
approaches we will adopt to support 
victims and witnesses and take effective 
action against perpetrators, or where 
needed, support vulnerable perpetrators 
appropriately. 

The Community Safety 
Strategy 2002 – 2005 

This strategy has anti-social behaviour as 
one of its eight themes, the primary aim 
of which is:-

“A 5% reduction in reports of anti-social 
behaviour and disorder to the police by 
March 2003, establish a baseline for 
repeat calls to the Council’s Noise and 
Nuisance Service in 2002 and thereafter 
reduce them by 5% by March 2005.” 

The strategy is due to be reviewed and 
the commitment to tackle anti-social 
behaviour will be further strengthened. 
The new strategy will form the review of 
this policy in a year’s time. 

The Housing Strategy 2003 – 
2008 

The six strategic aims of this document 
include “Engaging Communities” 
described as involving 

“residents and customers and engage 
communities in the creation and 
maintenance of balanced inclusive 
communities”. 

It identifies as one of its four priority 
areas for action to:

“Tackle anti social behaviour…. and 
improve quality of life for residents”, 

The strategy goes on to identify some of 
the ways in which this aim is being taken 
forward and many of the approaches 
outlined contribute and complement this 
Anti Social Behaviour Policy. 

The TMO Business Plan 
2005-2008 

The TMO Business Plan sets out eight 
strategic objectives for the TMO over the 
next three years. A key aim of this plan is 
to improve the quality of life of all 
residents and to support the Council’s 
aim of developing a vibrant inclusive 
community. This will be done in the 
following ways 

• 
By improving the environments in 
which tenants and leaseholders live 
• 
By responding to the government 
agenda on social inclusion and 
regeneration by seeking ways to 
support vulnerable tenants 
• 
By increasing the sustainability of 
tenancies in crisis 
To achieve these aims the TMO will aim to 
deal more effectively with anti-social 
behaviour and neighbour noise, in 
particular to devote more resources to 
deal with youth crime and vandalism in a 
preventative strategy to complement our 
interventions. 

Our Approach -
The Three ‘R’s 

Our approach to anti-social behaviour as 
Landlord and Managing agent is best 
summed up as the three ‘R’s – Rights, 
Responsibilities and Respect. 

‘Rights’ – we acknowledge as landlords 
and managers that all our residents have 
the right to live in decent, warm, safe 
homes in decent, clean, safe 

Links 

This is a joint statement of our anti-social 
behaviour policy which has been 
produced by the Royal Borough of 
Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) and the 
Kensington and Chelsea Tenant 
Management Organisation (TMO). The 
TMO is a tenant-led arms length 
management organisation responsible for 
the management of all of the housing 
owned by the Royal Borough of 
Kensington and Chelsea Council. 

Amongst other things this statement 
seeks to support key aims of a number of 
strategies of the Council, the TMO and 
the Kensington and Chelsea Partnership. 

What is Anti-Social Behaviour? 

For the purposes of this policy statement, 
anti-social behaviour is action that is 
capable of causing nuisance or 
annoyance to any person, and which 
directly or indirectly relates to the way 
we manage our homes. Persons affected 
by it may be anyone who has a right to 
live in property that we manage, those 
living in other property in the 

neighbourhood and anyone else lawfully 
in the property or the locality. 

The Community Strategy 

The Kensington and Chelsea Partnership 
prepared the Community Strategy after 
consulting widely with local residents, 
businesses, public and voluntary agencies 

The Homelessness Strategy 

This includes commitments to improve 
services for those vulnerable groups in 
need of support because of crime or fear 
of crime including people vulnerable 
through illness, whether mental or 
physical, and victims of domestic 
violence. These themes are reflected 
within this strategy. The purpose of the 

neighbourhoods, free from fear of 
nuisance, harassment and crime. 

‘Responsibilities’ – our residents also 
have responsibilities to ensure that they 
and their families, friends, visitors and 
animals behave appropriately, both within 
their own homes and in the vicinity. We 
acknowledge that in the case of those 
who may have less ability to honour their 
responsibilities because of health, age or 

STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 

iii 

INTRODUCTION 
other vulnerability, that we seek to work 
with our partners in the support services 
to help them to meet their responsibilities. 

‘Respect’ – we also expect our residents 
to respect their homes, their partners, 
their neighbourhood and all other people, 
regardless of their race, nationality, 
colour, origin, culture, age, sex, sexuality, 
perceived or real illness or disability, or 
other bias. 

Context and Achievements 

Historically, the Royal Borough of 
Kensington and Chelsea have not had a 
serious problem with anti-social 
behaviour in comparison with some 
neighbouring inner London boroughs and 
other metropolitan areas. The first 

serious challenge occurred in the year 
2000 when the first crack house opened 
in a TMO property. The following year 
saw a spate of crack houses, with up to 
40 in TMO managed accommodation and 
as many as a hundred across the whole 
borough. The levels of anti-social 
behaviour associated with the crack 
houses, never before witnessed by the 

TMO, threw down an enormous challenge 
to the police, the TMO and all other 
agencies involved in finding solutions. 
At one time, Kensington and Chelsea 
were reported as having the second 
highest number of crack houses in 
London. In the last two years we have 
had no ‘full blown’ crack houses at all in 
TMO managed property and just a 
handful of drugs related addresses, all 
of which have been closed down rapidly. 
Against a background of increasing 
numbers of crack houses both in London 
and nationally, this is a significant 
achievement. 

Officers dealing with the crack houses 
very soon became aware that many of 
the tenants that we evicted from their 
homes were themselves vulnerable people 
who were victims of dealers. The 

Kensington and Chelsea Rapid Reaction 
Protocol 2002, which has been nationally 
acclaimed, was a multi–agency response 
to try to establish a means of 
discriminating between the vulnerable 
and the non vulnerable drug using tenant 
and assisting those who were prepared to 
accept help, in conjunction with a swift 
closure of the drugs address. The 

banning of five significant local drug 
dealers using Section 222 of the 1972 
Local Government Act by the Council and 
the TMO in 2003 was entirely 
complementary to the Crack House 
protocol in that it sought to put the 
responsibility for operating crack houses 
directly on those responsible for the 
nuisance, rather than assuming a 
universal culpability by the offending 
tenants. 

The crack house experience taught us a 
number of very valuable lessons 

• 
That the only way to combat antisocial behaviour is to form effective 
partnerships with all other agencies 
involved, including the police, council 
departments and the support 
agencies, to establish protocols to 
allow the ready exchange of 
information between the various 
different bodies, and to work together 
to identify and achieve a common 
goal. 
• 
That people concerned in this type of 
work need a high level of personal 
commitment to what they are doing. 
• 
That the problems being encountered 
are frequently cross–tenure issues, 
therefore we need to be able to 
exchange information quickly and 
easily with other registered social 
landlords in our area. 
• 
That anti-social behaviour is a 
complex area of engagement and 
interaction between different 
individuals, some of whom may 
themselves be victims. 
Partnership working 

One of the key delivery partnerships 
recognised in the Homes and Housing 
theme of the Community Strategy is:

“work between the Council, the police, the 
TMO and Housing Associations to tackle 
anti-social behaviour.” 

A summary of the respective powers and 
responsibilities of ourselves and our 
partners, and how we propose to interact 
with them, follows in Parts 3 and 4 of 
this document (WORKING IN 
PARTNERSHIP – PREVENTION & 
WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP – 
ENFORCEMENT). 


iv 
STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 


OUR OBJECTIVES 
Our Objectives 

Our strategy sets out six clear objectives: 


1. Defining the Problem 
To explain what we mean by anti-social behaviour in eight key areas of concern to 
allow victims or perpetrators to be clear about our commitments. 

2. Supporting Witnesses 
To try to ensure that victims of anti-social behaviour receive the support they need to 
address the behaviour and reduce the impact this has on their lives. 

3. Working in Partnership – Prevention 
To work with our partners to identify ways of ensuring that anti-social behaviour can 
be prevented from occurring. Where appropriate, to tackle anti-social behaviour by 
addressing the root cause of it through support, care and through diversionary 
measures 

To work with our key partners to ensure that a robust and comprehensive response is 
given to all perpetrators of anti-social behaviour by the most appropriate agency. To 
work with other agencies, both statutory and voluntary on a case by case basis as the 
need arises. 

4. Working in Partnership – Enforcement 
To alleviate the nuisance caused to the victim by ensuring that existing legislation is 
used in the swiftest and most effective manner. 

5. Evaluating our Performance 
To continuously monitor and evaluate our performance and update procedures 
regularly to incorporate best possible practice 

6. Communications Strategy 
A key part in delivering an effective service is ensuring that the community and service 
providers know what we do, what other agencies do, and when and how they can 
access the service. Communicating our success is vital to achieving our aim, as it may 
give potential witnesses the confidence to come forward. 

STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 

v 

Defining 
the Problem 


OBJECTIVE 1 - DEFINING THE PROBLEM 
Defining the Problem 

As the managing agent for the Council’s housing stock, the TMO 
has a significant part to play in the prevention and enforcement 
of anti-social behaviour within the Royal Borough. Clearly there 
can be a great deal more control where the perpetrators of antisocial behaviour are already tenants of the TMO. Although leaseholders are not bound by tenancy conditions, many of them have 
clauses in their leases to prohibit anti-social behaviour. 

The TMO records incidents of anti-social 
behaviour under the following categories: 

1.1 Harassment, including racial 
harassment and intimidation 
1.2 Domestic violence 
1.3 Drugs/substance use 
1.4 Anti–social groups of youths 
1.5 Noise nuisance 
1.6 Nuisance by animals 
1.7 Environmental anti-social 
behaviour, including vandalism, 
rubbish disposal and discarded 
syringes 
1.8 Filthy and verminous properties 
There will be cases where there is no 
action that we can take. This might 
include, for example, cases where 
someone makes a complaint and the 
person complained of makes a counter 
complaint and there is no corroborating 
evidence. Additionally, it is inevitable that 
there may be times when we know that a 
problem is occurring and who the 
perpetrator is, but the evidence that we 
have is insufficient to put before a judge. 
Legal action is always expensive, so we 
have to rely on our expertise in deciding 
which cases to prosecute and which 
would have no chance of success. 

Often, one person’s behaviour may annoy 
someone else, but that behaviour itself 
may not be anti-social. As landlords, our 
role is to try and take a balanced view of 
what constitutes anti-social behaviour 
against which we can act and what is 
sometimes simply the normal day-to-day 
life of a community in one of the most 
densely populated areas of the country. 


1.1 Harassment 
Definition 

Violence in the form of threatening 
and/or intimidating behaviour including 
vandalism of property and verbal and 
physical abuse calculated to interfere 
with the peace and comfort of 
individuals and groups. 

Policy Statement 

The Council and TMO recognise the 
serious effects of harassment on victims 
who experience it. The TMO is 
committed to tackling this problem by 
supporting victims, dealing with the 
perpetrators and taking measures to 
prevent further harassment. 

The TMO has adopted the Commission for 
Racial Equality’s statutory “Code of 
Practice in Rented Housing” which 
provides a strategy for dealing effectively 
with harassment, particularly racial 
harassment. The TMO has also adopted 
the Lawrence Enquiry recommendation 
defining a racist incident as “any incident 
which is perceived to be racist by the 
victim or any other person”. This 
definition is victim centred and the term 
“racist incident” includes crimes and non-
crimes. 

Clause 5.15 of the Council’s Tenancy 
Agreement clearly outlines the standards 
of behaviour that it expects from its 
tenants. This states: 

“The tenant will not cause a nuisance or 
disturbance to any person or commit any 
acts of harassment to any person within 
the property, common parts or locality. 

This will include (but is not limited to) the 
following: 

Harassment by reason of age, race, gender, 
religion, culture or sexuality” 

Our aims in dealing with harassment are 

i 
To support victims - the TMO operates 

a victim-orientated approach to 

harassment and also aims to provide 

support to victims through means 

such as providing additional security 

measures, seeking the assistance of 
other organisations and through 
sensitive handling of cases. 

ii 
To deal with perpetrators - every 
effort will be made to identify 
perpetrators and take the appropriate 
action within the adopted procedure 

iii 
To prevent harassment - the TMO 
accept that the scale of the problem 
of harassment continues to be under-
reported due to several factors, e.g. 
lack of confidence in agencies; a 
perceived reluctance of agencies to 
acknowledge the motivation of the 
harassment and the victim’s fear. The 
TMO has a significant role to play in 
the prevention of harassment. To this 
end it will widely publicise (in 
appropriate languages) its policy and 
procedure on harassment. 

1.2 Domestic Violence 
Definition 

“Domestic violence is any form of physical, 
sexual, mental or emotional abuse which 
takes place within the context of a close 
relationship. In most cases the 
relationship will be between partners 
(married, co-habiting or otherwise) or ex-
partners…….” (based on The Home Affairs 
Committee on Domestic Violence) 

Policy Statement 

Domestic violence is a serious issue and is 
prevalent in our society. The TMO is 
committed to taking measures to provide 
support and assistance to the survivor, to 
take action against the perpetrator, and 
assist in the prevention of domestic 
violence. 

The organisation’s first priority is to offer 
appropriate advice and assistance to the 
person facing domestic violence. Any 
action taken will aim to increase the 
safety of those experiencing abuse, 
whether this is by removing them from 
the area of risk or increasing security to 
their home. Wherever possible the TMO 
will take action against the perpetrator. 

The TMO has also included a clause in its 
Tenancy Agreement to enable it to take 
action against its own tenants who are 
perpetrators of domestic violence. 

The condition states: 

5.1.6 The tenant must not commit 
violence towards a husband, wife, 
partner or former husband wife or 
1
STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 


OBJECTIVE 1 - DEFINING THE PROBLEM 
partner or other member of the 
family. Tenants must not harass or 
use mental, emotional or sexual 
abuse against anyone who might be 
expected to live with the tenant or 
cause them to leave their home. If 
there is a breach of this clause the 
landlord may seek a possession 
order against the remaining tenant 
or occupier. 


1.3 Drugs / Substance Use 
Definition 

Any drug that is not being kept or stored 
for a lawful prescribed medicinal purpose 
will be considered to be illegal and 
therefore its storage, use or supply from 
within the premises, or common parts will 
be considered to be anti-social behaviour. 

Policy Statement 

Drugs are a blight on our community. 
They reduce the quality of life of the 
people who use them habitually, their 
families and everyone around them. The 
TMO will work with the Council and other 
agencies to help reduce the impact of drug 
dealing and drug taking on the Council’s 
estates by utilising community and police 
intelligence to identify drug related 
activity, to ensure that a rapid response is 
obtained from all partner agencies in 
tackling the problem, and to protect the 
most vulnerable communities and 
residents from drug related crime. 

We will aim to close down drugs 
addresses within 48 hours of police 
obtaining evidence that drugs are being 
used illegally. We will work closely with 
the police concerning supporting 
evidence on nuisance and convictions. 

Vulnerable drug-using tenants, (as 
defined under the Crack House protocol 
copies available on request or on the TMO 
website) who agree to accepting help 
with their problems, can be offered a 
place in a drugs rehabilitation unit. After 
successful completion of the programme 

2 
of rehabilitation, they may be offered 
alternative accommodation away from 
the area in which they are known to local 
dealers. 

We will seek to evict non-vulnerable 
tenants who allow their properties to be 
used for the consumption or sale of drugs 
or who have sold drugs in the locality 

We will work with other agencies to 
achieve more responsive services, both in 
terms of providing support to known 
tenants who have a substance misuse 
problem and are at risk of eviction and 
with action to tackle serious anti-social 
behaviour. 

1.4 Anti-Social Youths 
Definition 

Many tenants perceive young people as a 
threat and automatically associate them 
with anti-social behaviour and petty 
crime. We recognise that many young 
people are not anti-social and should not 
be stigmatised by virtue of their age and 
their need to socialise. We do consider 
that behaviour such as verbal abuse and 
harassment of passers-by, vandalism, 
graffiti and criminal damage is anti-social 
and requires action. 

Policy Statement 

The TMO will investigate incidents of 
youth related anti-social behaviour and 
adopt a 2 pronged approach of 
prevention/diversion through working 
with other agencies that specialise in 
providing services for young people, and 
action where more serious behaviour 
needs to be addressed by civil measures 
such as enforcing conditions of tenancy 
and anti-social behaviour orders. 
Interventions will be proportionate and 
appropriate, based on the nature of the 
behaviour, its persistence and its impact 
on individuals or the community. 

The TMO will work closely with the police, 
the Council’s Youth Offending Team, 
Educational Welfare Service, and 
Community Education Service to tackle 
and divert anti-social behaviour caused 
by young people and provide them with 
better opportunities to learn and develop 
new skills. Acceptable Behaviour 
Contracts will be used wherever possible, 
to try to educate the offenders by 
demonstrating to them what aspects of 
their behaviour are problematic. 

Legal proceedings may be instigated 
against persistent offenders themselves 
or their parents if they are TMO tenants. 
The full range of legal remedies is listed 
in part 4. 

1.5 Noise 
Definition 

Noise is generally regarded as unwanted 
sound. It could be too loud, too intrusive 
or just happen at the wrong time or 
without warning. Excessive noise can 
affect tenants’ enjoyment of their homes, 
and can substantially reduce their quality 
of life. Examples of this might include 
loud noise from sound systems and radios 
late at night, noise from parties and 
musical instruments. It does not include 
everyday household noise. 

Policy Statement 

Council residents have the right to the 
quiet enjoyment of their homes. 
Unwanted noise is an invasion of a 
person’s home and affects their quality of 
life. The Environmental Services Noise and 
Nuisance team and the TMO will work 
together to ensure that all residents enjoy 
a reasonable standard of peace and quiet 
within their homes. 

Noise can be a controversial subject. It is 
accepted that many properties require 
better quality sound insulation and that 
this will be a factor to take into account 
when dealing with complaints about 
noise nuisance. It is also accepted that, 
in some circumstances, noise can be 
entirely subjective; some people will find 
levels of noise intrusive that others may 
not notice. Timing is also crucial; any 
noise late at night is likely to be 
considered intrusive. It is also recognised 
that tenants may want to decorate and 
otherwise improve their premises. 
However DIY improvement work should 
be done with consideration for occupiers 
of surrounding property. 


An informal approach to resolving a noise 
problem may often achieve the best 
results. Residents should therefore be 
encouraged to talk to the person 
responsible for the noise first. It may be 
that the person is unaware that their 
activities are causing a disturbance and 

STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 


OBJECTIVE 1 - DEFINING THE PROBLEM 
the problem can be resolved with 
understanding and a degree of ‘give and 
take’ on both sides. Mediation can also 
be invaluable in these circumstances 

When an informal approach is not 
possible, or fails to work, then formal 
action may need to be considered. The 
Council’s Noise and Nuisance team has a 
duty to investigate complaints of noise 
and they are obliged to take action where 
any noise is considered to be a ‘statutory’ 
nuisance. This will depend on the nature 
of the noise, together with the 
surrounding circumstances, the time and 
its duration and, as defined under the 
legislation, whether it exists, or is likely to 
occur or recur. 

The TMO relies very heavily on the Noise 
and Nuisance team for guidance on noise 
nuisance issues. In many cases, noise 
may be the result of normal everyday 
living and poor sound insulation rather 
than deliberate nuisance and there is very 
little that the TMO can do in these cases. 
In cases where the Noise and Nuisance 
team serve an abatement notice on a 
tenant or send a warning letter, an 
appropriate and proportionate response 
from the TMO will be triggered, which 
may include service of a Notice of 
Seeking Possession. 


1.6 Animals 
Definition 

Animals are likely to be considered antisocial where they become a nuisance 
annoyance or health hazard to any 
neighbour or person within the locality 

Policy statement 

Many tenants and leaseholders keep pets 
with or without the TMO’s permission. For 
some, particularly those who are elderly or 
living alone, a pet provides company and, 
in the case of dogs, can offer security to 
the home. The TMO will only act if a pet or 
other animal is considered to be a 
nuisance or a danger to residents. 

Nuisance from animals can include: 

• 
animals fouling communal areas 
• 
animals being allowed to run 
unsupervised on balconies and 

footpaths 

• 
unreasonable or excessive noise or 
odour from animals 
• 
the keeping of unsuitable or 
dangerous animals 
• 
keeping excessive numbers of animals 
It is a condition of the Tenancy 
Agreement that tenants must seek 
permission to keep an animal. Even if 
permission has been given, it can be 
withdrawn if the animal causes a 
nuisance to other people or if it is not 
being cared for adequately. The TMO can 
take action where an animal is considered 
to be a nuisance on an estate as it is a 
breach of the tenancy conditions. 

1.7 Environmental issues 
Definition 

Environmental matters that can be 
considered to be anti-social include: 

• 
grafitti 
• 
vandalism to property 
• 
litter 
• 
unsatisfactory disposal of rubbish 
• 
abandoned cars 
• 
feeding wild creatures such as pigeons 
that cause a nuisance and a health 
hazard. 
Policy Statement 

The TMO is committed to maintaining high 
standards of cleanliness and general 
appearance on its estates for the benefit 
of everyone. Action will be taken against 
people who continually display a disregard 
of other people’s right to live in a decent 
environment. 

Failure to dispose of rubbish in an 
appropriate manner is probably the 
biggest single cause of complaint in this 
category on TMO estates. Letters are 
frequently sent to remind residents about 
the need for proper disposal of household 
rubbish. In extreme cases, where 
continual warnings are ignored, rubbish 
bags may be opened and the offending 
tenant dealt with under the conditions of 
the Tenancy Agreement. 

We will aim to remove grafitti on TMO 
property within a target time of twenty 
four hours of the report if the grafitti is 
racist or offensive. All other grafitti has a 
target time of three days for removal 
after the cleaning contractor has 
received the order. 

Vandalism - frequently the perpetrator 
will not be known, but where the 
perpetrator is known the cost of repair 
can be recharged to the offender and 
pursued through the small claims court. 


Abandoned vehicles -the TMO has 
delegated powers to remove abandoned 
vehicles from land which it manages and 
where the owner cannot be traced. 

Feeding pigeons - tenants can be dealt 
with under the terms of their tenancy 
conditions or by injunctions. Non-TMO 
residents can be served with injunctions, 
subject of course to the necessary 
evidence being obtained. 

1.8 Filthy and verminous 
properties 
Definition 

This is a property where the internal 
condition is in such a poor state that the 
Environmental Health Team deem it ‘filthy 
and verminous’ and are required by law to 
take enforcement action to remedy it. 

Policy Statement 

The role of the TMO in these cases will be 
to intervene in a structured way, with the 
support of social services and the 
Environmental Services to ensure that the 
property is cleaned, infestation is 
eradicated and appropriate support is put 
into place to ensure that minimum 
standards of hygiene are maintained. 
Each case is assessed on an individual 
basis as the circumstances can vary so 
much. 

A small number of properties come to the 
attention of the TMO when they become 
‘filthy and verminous’ For some 
households self-neglect is a very serious 
issue. Typically self-neglecting tenants 
will live in unclean and infested 
conditions, often associated with 
hoarding, large numbers of pets, 
structural deterioration of the property 
and unorthodox lifestyles and behaviour. 
The role of the TMO in these cases will be 
to maintain the tenancy by working with 
all of the support services involved. 

3
STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 


Supporting
witnesses



OBJECTIVE 2 - SUPPORTING WITNESSES 
Supporting Witnesses 

The TMO operates a victim-orientated approach requiring staff to 
begin from the premise of believing the victim’s feelings about the 
motivation for any harassment and taking steps to ensure the 
health, safety and welfare of the victims concerned. 

In cases of harassment and intimidation, 
the TMO will try, wherever possible, to 
rely on professional witnesses such as 
police and housing officers. Where the 
behaviour concerned is criminal, such as 
drug addresses or crack houses, 
frequently police evidence will be 
sufficient on its own. However, there will 
inevitably be cases where the TMO will 
need to demonstrate that a nuisance or 
harassment has occurred and that it has 
radically disrupted the life or lives of one 
or more residents. 

Wherever possible, the witness will be 
involved in the decision making process 
about how the perpetrator is dealt with. 
Where the witness is the only victim, we 
will be guided by them in how we 
proceed, subject of course to having the 
necessary evidence to enable us to do so. 
In some cases, such as where the TMO 
has confidential information concerning 
the vulnerability of the perpetrator, or 
where there are other victims involved, it 
may not be possible to give full details of 
why one course of action is favoured over 
another. In these cases we will be as 
transparent as we are able to be, without 
breaching our duty of confidentiality. In 
some cases we may have to proceed 
against a perpetrator without the consent 
of the witness, although their identity will 
not be disclosed. This will only usually 
occur where there is other compelling 
evidence in our possession. 

The TMO has prepared a leaflet on what it 
can do to support witnesses to try to 
encourage people to come forward. This 
is available in all TMO public offices. 

2.1 Security Measures to 
the Home 
In cases where the witness feels 
intimidated or vulnerable, consideration 
will be given for the witness to be 
connected temporarily to the out of 
hours Community Alarm Service (CAS). 
CAS provides an emergency response 
service, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 
In some cases police can provide a direct 
link to the local police station. 

Security measures can also be undertaken 
such as spy holes, chain guards, door and 

window locks and fireproof letterboxes. 
All cases will be referred to the Crime 
Prevention Unit, if the witness agrees, for 
them to carry out a full assessment and 
make recommendations. In many cases 
the police will carry out the work 
themselves, using their own specialist 
contractors. 

The police can also be requested to give a 
priority one response on the 999 
emergency system for any witness in 
need of help. They would, therefore, 
receive a rapid police response to any call. 

The Council also provides support via the 
Sanctuary project which gives options for 
tenants experiencing domestic violence 
who wish to remain in their own home. 
The scheme enables residents to access 
legal advice relating to the tenancy and 
injunctions. Extra security measures can 
be put in place to ensure that the tenant 
feels safe to remain in their own home. 
The Housing Advice Service (HASKC) 

manages the scheme. Referrals can be 
made either through the Council’s 
Housing Needs Department or Eaves 
Women’s Aid. 

2.2 TMO2YOU 
TMO2YOU is the new home visiting 
service designed to ensure that TMO 
tenants who might need some support to 
improve their quality of life can access 
this from general needs housing. The 
purpose of the service is threefold: 

a 
To establish a vulnerable customers 
database to be used in emergencies or 
service planning 

b 
To increase access to services and 
communication with customers in 
hard to reach groups 

c 
To establish evidence for a range of 
services delivered on the basis of 
identified customer need 

It is envisaged that this service will 
eventually be widened to include all 
vulnerable client groups and assist in 
early diagnoses of anti-social behaviour 
and harassment. 


STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 

5 

OBJECTIVE 2 - SUPPORTING WITNESSES 
2.3 The witness in court 
Victims will be asked at the outset of any 
proceedings if they are prepared to give 
evidence. In cases where they are not 
prepared to agree, a housing officer may 
have to give hearsay evidence in order to 
give the best possible chance of a 
successful outcome. It is our aim not to 
give hearsay evidence that enables a 
witness to be identified, however it is 
essential that we make the best use of 
the evidence we have at our disposal to 
secure a successful outcome. 

The TMO will aim to provide practical 
information and advice about the legal 
process. We will provide the witness with 
early notification, where possible, of the 
need to attend court, and we will try to 
arrange a pre-court familiarisation visit if 
possible. We will arrange for the witness 
to meet our legal representative to 
discuss their involvement in the hearing 
process and to discuss any particular 
fears and anxieties. In many cases the 
witness will have already met the legal 
advisor at an earlier stage in order to 
make their statement. 

6 
2.4 Counselling services 
Counselling for victims of anti-social 
behaviour is often under resourced. 
Victim Support offers counselling services 
for victims of certain types of crime; 
however, this often does not include low 
level crime. Anti-social behaviour can be 
debilitating, and in many cases result in a 
sense of persecution long after the 
behaviour has been resolved. 

All of the following groups have different 
roles to play in supporting victims and 
their families. 

Kensington and Chelsea Victim 
Support 

Many of the victims of harassment who 
report the incident to the police will be 
referred to Victim Support. There are 
specialist workers within victim support 
to deal with racist and homophobic 
matters. 

Social Services 

Social Services should be contacted in 
cases where victims need additional 
assistance. This may be where individuals 

who are also vulnerable for other reasons, 
or have children who may be at risk, find 
the most appropriate help. 

Education 

If children are suffering from harassment 
whilst walking to and from or whilst at 
school, the Educational Welfare Officer 
should be told of the incident and they 
will then report this to the Headteacher. 
If the perpetrators are known, 
clarification will be sought from the Head 
on proposed action. 

Community Groups 

Community Groups can give some 
support to victims of harassment. This is 
especially true in cases of women and 
BME residents who may be at home all 
day and who have become isolated from 
friends or family. 

2.5 Use of Professional 
Witnesses 
In order to protect victims, we may use 
professional witnesses when 
circumstances permit. These will include 
the following:

The Police 

Where extreme nuisance exists, the Police 
can provide details of call-outs and 
provide evidence in Court of any antisocial behaviour that they have 
witnessed. Police Community Support 
Officers (PCSOs) can also act as witnesses 
in more general cases. 

Environmental Services Officers 

The out of hours service, may provide 
supporting evidence where noise 
nuisance exists, including details of a 
number of call-outs they have attended, 
and whether they have served an 
abatement notice when noise limits have 
been exceeded. 

Private Security guards 

The TMO is currently trialing the use of 
private security guards to patrol estates 
during evenings and weekends. It is 
anticipated that their evidence will be 
used in future, especially with regard to 
youth groups, if it proves to be cost 
effective. 

Estate staff 

They are likely to witness nuisance, 
particularly outside office hours. They 
may assist in providing witness 
statements, although consideration must 
be given to their safety, particularly if 
they live on the same estate where the 
nuisance is occurring. 

STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 


OBJECTIVE 2 - SUPPORTING WITNESSES 
Housing Officers/Tenancy Managers 

They are not likely to experience the 
nuisance during office hours. However, 
the law does allow for them to give 
hearsay evidence where victims are 
fearful of reprisal. 

Private Investigators 

These are only to be used in exceptional 
circumstances where it is otherwise 
difficult to gather information. They can 
be extremely expensive and this should be 
balanced against their potential 
effectiveness. 

Where covert CCTV is used by private 
investigators on behalf of the TMO, The 
Regulation of Investigator Powers Act 
2000 (RIPA) requirements will be 
observed. RIPA ensures that covert 
techniques are used in accordance with 
Article 8. It provides the legal basis for 
Council officers to authorise and use 
covert surveillance, informants and 
undercover officers, while safeguarding 
the public from unnecessary invasions on 
their privacy. 

2.6 The vulnerable 
perpetrator 
It is acknowledged that in a number of 
cases the perpetrator themselves may be 
vulnerable. This might be in a case 
where, for example, an elderly person 
with dementia or other mental health 
problems is racially abusing neighbours. 

In every case where there is potentially a 
vulnerable perpetrator, referrals will be 
made to the most appropriate agency at 
the earliest possible stage as an 
alternative to legal action. We will do 
everything possible to engage services 
that will address a perpetrator’s 
behaviour. 


STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 

7 

Working in
Partnership
– Prevention



OBJECTIVE 3 – WORKING IN P ARTNERSHIP – PREVENTION 
Working in Partnership – Prevention 

Whilst there is an acknowledged duty to tackle acts of anti-social 
behaviour, there is also a need for greater emphasis on preventing 
anti-social acts occurring in the first place. Good local youth 
services, diversionary activities and contact are vital if we are to 
reduce anti-social behaviour that is attributed to young people. 
Support for users of substances and alcohol are also crucial, as is 
support for people with mental health issues. Mediation is an 
effective tool in preventing local disputes escalating and promoting peaceful relations between neighbours. 

All agencies have a part to play in the 
prevention of anti-social behaviour, but 
the following have a more defined role. 

3.1 
Mediation 
3.2 
RBKC Education Welfare Service 
3.3 
RBKC Learning and Development 
Service 
3.4 
RBKC The Drugs Action Team 
3.5 
RBKC Social Services – Support 
for Adults with Mental Health 
Problems 
3.6 
RBKC Resettlement Team 
3.7 
The Youth Offending Team 
3.8 
The Police 
3.9 
CASBAT 
3.10 Environmental Services 
3.1 Mediation 
Resolving disputes is often best achieved 
through dialogue between the two 
parties. Whilst agencies should 
encourage neighbours to resolve an issue 
independently of any outside agency 
wherever possible, mediation offers a 
viable impartial and confidential service 
that can broker a resolution without 
confrontation. 

Many instances of anti-social behaviour 
are not actionable. Sometimes it is a 
matter of one person’s word against 
another (as with some neighbour 
disputes). Many others are not severe 
enough to warrant enforcement action, 
because they are too resource intensive in 
both operational and financial terms. In 
a majority of neighbour disputes, the 
housing officer may try to intervene and 
this approach can sometimes result in 
counter allegations and a general 
escalation of the problem. 

Mediation works by looking forward and 
not attaching blame so that the parties 
involved can make decisions themselves. 

It can prevent situations escalating into 
violence or harassment and should 
therefore form an integral part of any 
strategy to deal with nuisance and antisocial behaviour. Mediation usually gets 
to the root of the problem, particularly in 
neighbour disputes because it helps those 
involved to reach an agreement that suits 
everyone. Disagreements can be sorted 
out quickly and confidentially without the 
expense and trouble of repeated visits, 
protracted investigations, and the use of 
litigation. It is therefore cost-effective 
and is appropriate in many cases, 
including disputes involving children, 
animals, noise, damage, shared facilities, 
offensive behaviour and rubbish. 

CALM Mediation Service and the TMO 

Since April 2001 the Council and the TMO 
have used CALM mediation service on a 
boroughwide basis. The service is 
available to all residents, irrespective of 
tenure. TMO residents experiencing 
difficulties with their neighbours can 
access the service in two ways, either by 
self-referring directly or through their 
housing officer. 

Golborne Youth Mediation project 

This is a voluntary and informal service 
for young people aged 10-17 who live in 
or close to the Golborne Ward. Its 
purpose is to reduce the number of 
people aged 10-17 becoming offenders. 
This service is supported by a number of 
organisations including CALM. 

Help is offered with:

• family communication problems 
• behaviour/aggression problems 
• exclusion – self/school 
• harassment 
• bullying 
• 
at risk of receiving an ABC/ASBO or at 
risk of offending. 
Mediation can take place between family 


members, neighbours or within schools 

e.g. to resolve bullying incidents. 
Kensington Housing Trust Youth 
Mentoring Project- Pathway to Progress 

This service is aimed at young people 
between the ages of 12-19 who live in 
the North Kensington area. The project 
was set up in partnership with the 
Wornington Green detached youth 
worker project in 2001 and the purpose 
of the project is to develop a pool of 
mentors to engage with young people 
who are at risk of offending. Referrals 
are taken from a wide variety of sources, 
although youths can also self-refer. 

3.2 RBKC Education Welfare 
Service 
The Education Welfare Service (EWS) is 
part of the Local Education Authority 
with statutory responsibilities for 
promoting, encouraging and enforcing 
regular school attendance of children 
living in Kensington and Chelsea. The 
EWS seeks to work in partnership with 
children, families, schools and other 
agencies to support the education and 
welfare of children. 

The EWS also has other responsibilities in 
a number of other areas connected with 
children’s welfare. These are as follows: 

Special educational needs 

The EWS may assist and contribute to the 
process of statutory assessment under 
the Education Act 1996 of children who 
have special educational needs. 

Social inclusion 

The EWS works to reduce exclusions, 
unnecessary absence and truancy from 
school and assists young people who are 
at risk of exclusion from school or who 
are missing out on education for other 
reasons. 

STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 

9 

OBJECTIVE 3 – WORKING IN P ARTNERSHIP – PREVENTION 
Reducing youth offending 

The EWS contributes to a multi-agency 
network that seeks to reduce youth crime, 
and an Education Welfare Officer is part 
of the local Youth Offending Team. 

Children in need and child protection 

The Principal Education Welfare Officer is 
a member of the Area Child Protection 
Committee and the designated person for 
child protection matters in the Education 
Department. Education Welfare Officers 
link with colleagues in Social Services and 
other agencies in the child protection 
network and support plans to assist 
children in need and to protect children 
at risk. The service is also a point of 
consultation and advice on child 
protection matters to schools and others 
within the Education Department. 

3.3 RBKC Learning and 
Development Service 
Learning and Development embraces 
learners of all ages, interests and abilities. 
It provides opportunities for learning in a 
wide variety of venues and settings and 
extends into all areas of people’s lives. It 
builds upon formal schooling but also 
extends far beyond it. 

In relation to youth, the service aims to 
facilitate resource and co-ordinate a wide 
range of responsive and accessible 
provision focused on children and young 
people. In so doing, it aims to nurture 
children and young people in order that 
they may grow and develop into 
responsible, caring adults. 

Children’s activities 

Play is one of the most important 
activities through which young children 
learn and develop. Play centres offer 
children aged 5 to 13 a wide range of 
activities within a safe, secure and 
friendly environment - both after school 
and during the school holidays. 

Youth work 

Youth work supports young people 
through the transition from adolescence 
to adulthood. It offers young people 
aged 14 to 25 the opportunity to learn 
more about themselves and to realise 
their potential, through a wide variety of 
activities, which combine enjoyment and 
personal challenge. 

All youth centres offer regular evening 
programmes of activities, with some also 
providing weekend and holiday projects. 
Activities cater for all interests and 
abilities and include special provision for 

10 
young people with learning difficulties 
and disabilities. Programmes typically 
allow young people to explore issues such 
as citizenship, health and personal 
relationships, the environment, sport, 
music and the arts. 

Sports development 

This service provides sports activities for 
the whole community. The service aims 
to increase participation in sport, attract 
people back into sport and develop 
individual’s performance levels. 

Sports development work takes place in a 
wide range of settings, including sports 
centres, youth and play centres, schools 
and parks. Regular sessions are held all 
year round, involving sports such as 
basketball, football, tennis and netball. 
The team also run a summer water sports 
centre. 

Summer plus 

This is the Council’s response to the 
overall government initiative to reduce 
street crime through diversionary 
activities and targeted intervention. 

This programme was introduced in 
summer 2002 to target those young 
people, aged 8 to 19, in the borough 
deemed most at risk of offending. It 
provides appropriate activities through 
the summer period for young people. Key 
workers are employed to mentor, 
motivate and monitor those youths 
identified. Progression and sustainability 
is essential, so part of the key workers 

role will be to design, in conjunction with 
the young people, a realistic programme 
to ensure their continued development, 
either back in to education or work. This 
project has now been turned into an after 
schools’ club during term time. 

3.4 The Drugs Action Team 
Anti social behaviour is increasingly 
associated with drug taking or dealing. 
To ensure a multi-agency strategic 
approach to tackling drugs, the Royal 
Borough established a Drug Action Team 
(DAT) in 1995. 

Drug Action Teams are responsible for 
implementing the national drugs strategy 

“Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain’. 

Membership of the DAT reflects the 
multi-agency approach supported within 
the strategy. To support the work of the 
DAT, a number of drug reference groups 
also operate (see appendix). 

The DAT sets out an annual plan in line 
with the key aims and targets of the 
national strategy. In order to achieve the 
national targets, a range of initiatives and 
actions are happening within the Royal 
Borough and these are highlighted below 
under each aim. 

Young people 

To help young people resist drug misuse 
in order to achieve their full potential in 
society. 

STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 


OBJECTIVE 3 – WORKING IN P ARTNERSHIP – PREVENTION 
• 
Substance misuse education and 
prevention lessons provided by Rotalec, 
Portobello Trust and K & C Schools 
Involvement Team to borough primary 
and secondary schools. 
• 
The employment of health and drugs 
education consultant within Learning 
and Development to ensure a 
consistent and co-ordinated approach 
to drug education and prevention 
across RBK&C. 
• 
Drugs outreach work provided by the 
Portobello Trust in the North 
Kensington area. 
• 
A peer education project operates at 
the Blenheim Project and gives young 
drug users the opportunity to seek 
advice and support from people of 
their own age. 
• 
The Basement Project in Earls Court 
and the Health Information Project in 
North Kensington provide advice, 
information and support to young 
people around drugs and alcohol 
misuse. 
Communities 

To protect our communities from drug 
related anti-social and criminal behaviour 

• 
The Drug Arrest Referral Scheme 
operates across all three Borough 
police stations and offers all arrestees 
the opportunity to make contact with a 
drugs worker. The drugs workers can 
assess and refer an arrestee to an 
appropriate drug treatment service if 
requested. 
• 
The Drug Arrest Referral Scheme is 
seen as one way of reducing the 
amount of drug-related crime that 
occurs by enabling people to seek 
treatment for their drug and alcohol 
problems. 
• 
The Drug Arrest Referral Scheme is one 
of a range of initiatives under the 
‘Communities against Drugs’ scheme. 
• 
This scheme organised two substance 
misuse awareness events for local 
residents to learn more about drugs 
and alcohol. 
Treatment 

To enable people with drug problems to 
overcome them and live healthy and 
crime free lives. A wide range of drug 
and alcohol treatment services is provided 
in RBKC (see appendix) 

Availability 

To stifle the availability of illegal drugs on 
our streets 

• Kensington and Chelsea Police will 
continue to target local drug markets 
that are of particular concern to local 
communities. 

• 
Kensington and Chelsea Police will 
undertake a combination of overt and 
covert operations to target the supply 
of class A drugs within RBKC. 
• 
A rapid reaction protocol for dealing 
with ‘crack houses’ that occur within 
the Borough has been drawn up. The 
protocol has two aims, these are to 
evict tenants who are drug dealing 
within 42 days, and to support and rehouse tenants who are vulnerable and 
whose homes are being used by crack 
dealers. 
3.5 RBKC Social Services – 
Support for Adults with 
Mental Health Problems 
Though it is certainly the case that a 
minority of people with mental health 
problems will present anti-social 
behaviour, particularly during periods 
when they may be less well, it is also the 
case that the majority will manage 
perfectly well in the community, or 
conversely may be the victim of antisocial behaviour from others. 

Services for adults (18-65) with mental 
health problems are provided by 3 main 
organisations, K&C primary Care Trust, 
Central and North West London Mental 
Health Trust (CNWL) and the Local 
Authority. 

K & C’s Primary Care Trust 

The majority of people with mental health 
problems resident in the borough will be 
supported through primary care by their 
General Practitioner, and would be 
referred to more specialist services only 
at times of crisis. Each primary care 
practice has an allocated Mental Health 
Primary Care Liaison Nurse who can 
provide a link between primary and 
specialist secondary care mental health 
services (see CNWL services below). 

Central and North West London 
Mental Health Trust (CNWL) Services 

For those people with more severe 
difficulties there are a range of specialist 
secondary care services, both hospital 
inpatient, day patient and outpatient 
services and community based specialist 
teams. 

The care of individuals with mental health 
problems living in the community is 
coordinated through 6 specialist mental 
health teams and most people with more 
serious mental health problems living in 

the community have a named worker, the 
care coordinator, based within these 
teams. There are 5 community mental 
health teams (CMHTs) covering the 
borough. People are allocated to these 
teams on a patch basis, dependent on the 
GP surgery with which the person is 
registered. The sixth team is an assertive 
outreach team, which provides a borough 
wide service to users who are hard to 
engage and who show a pattern of 
disengaging from services and repeated 
breakdown and admission to hospital. 

There are also two other specialist teams, 
they are the crisis resolution teams (also 
based north and south) who provide 
support to people in crisis in the 
community in order to minimise the need 
for admissions to hospital. 

There is also a central Approved Social 
Work service, based at the Town Hall who 
will carry out assessments under the 
Mental Health Act and consider whether 
or not someone needs to be taken in to 
hospital under section. 


In addition, there are two Assessment 
Centres, again based north and south, at 
St Charles Hospital and South Kensington 
and Chelsea Mental Health Centre, which 
is the best point of contact for advice or 
concerns during working hours, if the 
care coordinator was not known or if one 
was not allocated. 

Out of hours, (from 5.00 pm to 9.00 am) 
the borough provides an emergency duty 
social work team who can also offer 
advice or intervention. 

Local Authority Services 

The Local Authority directly provides a 
range of day centres, and funds private 
and voluntary sector organisations to 
deliver a range of other services including 
employment and training projects, 
benefits advice, home support services 
and specialist supported accommodation 

STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 

11 

OBJECTIVE 3 – WORKING IN P ARTNERSHIP – PREVENTION 
Other Client Groups 

Services to people under 18 and over 65 
with mental health problems are provided 
in partnership with other specialist 
services. 

3.6 RBKC Resettlement Team 
The Council has a responsibility to assess 
the needs of people with mental health 
problems and to provide high quality care 
in the community. This is to give them 
the right to appropriate housing and to 
foster independent living. The Council 
also has an obligation to ensure that 
those with support needs are not subject 
to discrimination and their safety, and the 
safety of others, is not compromised by 
anti-social behaviour. 

The Council has developed a number of 
tenancy support services, to assist people 
with a variety of support needs including 
mental health problems, HIV/AIDS, and 
substance misuse problems. These 
services are provided directly by the 
Council and by specialist providers 
including registered social landlords and 
voluntary organisations. The main access 
points are through the Council’s 
Resettlement Team, based in the Housing 
Needs department. After a detailed 
assessment, support may be available to 
address tenancy related problems, 
including short term practical help. 
Support is also available, including liaison 
with housing officers, Social Services, 
voluntary organisations, advice on 
benefits claims, help with getting gas and 
electricity connected, budgeting and 
obtaining furniture. 

3.7 The Youth Offending Team 
Youth Offending Teams have the expertise 
to advise on the individual needs and 
circumstances of young people and they 
have close links with other agencies, such 
as schools, Social Services, the Youth 
Service and the Educational Welfare 
Service. They may also have information 
about family circumstances, the 
behaviour of siblings and the engagement 
of parents in addressing the behaviour. 

The Youth Offending Team (YOT) has a 
major part to play in preventing antisocial behaviour as part of their Youth 
Justice Plan. Early intervention initiatives 
include: 

• 
Youth Inclusion and Support Panels 
(YISP) ensure that young people and 
their families receive mainstream 
public services at the earliest 
opportunity, together with 
12 
complementary interventions by other 
services. The Panel considers and 
recommends a programme of support 
for the young person and their family, 
called an Individual Support Plan. 

• 
Penalty Notices- these can be the first 
stage of intervention for many forms 
of low level disorder – they offer 
speedy action designed to save police, 
local authority and court time. 
• 
Parenting Contracts – it is crucial to 
work with young people in the family 
context. Parenting contracts provide a 
structured and balanced way for 
agencies to work with parents/carers 
on a voluntary basis. Section 25 of the 
Anti-Social Behaviour Act introduces a 
new power for YOTs to enter into 
parenting contracts where a person is 
engaged in or likely to engage in 
criminal or anti-social behaviour. 
• 
Individual Support Orders (ISO) - these 
were created in the Criminal Justice Act 
2003 and impose positive obligations 
on the child or young person. Where a 
magistrate’s court makes an ASBO in 
respect of a young person aged 
between 10 and 17, it will be obliged to 
make an ISO if it takes the view that it 
would help prevent further anti-social 
behaviour. Counselling to tackle 
substance misuse or anger 
management are two examples of the 
type of assistance that might be 
offered under such an order. Breach of 
such an order is a criminal offence and 
where a breach is prosecuted the court 
may impose a fine, usually on the 
young person’s parents/carers. 
• 
Parenting Orders. Parenting Orders 
must be made by a court where a 
young person is convicted of an 
offence. They must also be made in 
conjunction with an ASBO for a ten to 
15 year old if the court is to be 
satisfied that it is in the interests of 
preventing further anti-social 
behaviour. 

• 
Child Safety Orders – in effect, the 
equivalent of an ASBO for children 
under ten years of age. A Parenting 
Order may also be applied for at the 
same time. 
When designing measures to deal with 
anti-social behaviour the YOT, and the 
agencies it works with, must be aware of 
any disability, mental health problem or 
special education needs of the young 
person or his/her parents or careers. 

The role of the Youth Offending Team is 
crucial in: 

• 
Providing advice on interventions that 
can be used to address risk factors 
behind a young person’s behaviour 
• 
The decision making process in 
individual cases of young people 
involved in anti-social behaviour 
• 
Implementing interventions with young 
people involved in anti-social 
behaviour, notably by making the 
young person aware of the impact and 
consequences of their behaviour, 
providing support to help them address 
it and help them towards a positive 
future. 
3.8 The Police 
Some of the most intractable nuisance 
problems involve criminal activity. The 
police have powers to deal with criminal 
behaviour such as motoring offences, 
acts of physical violence, thefts and 
burglary and they also have a duty to 
combat the misuse of drugs in the 
locality. 

The Royal Borough’s Community 
Safety Strategy 2002-2005 

This focuses on eight key crime and 
disorder priorities and outlines objectives 
to achieve the overall aim. These are: 

• 
Anti-Social Behaviour and Disorder – 
to achieve a 5% reduction in reports of 
anti-social behaviour 
• 
To reduce offending amongst children 
and young people to achieve targets 
set by the Youth Justice Board 
• 
To reduce distraction burglaries against 
older people by 30% 
• 
Domestic violence – to encourage 
reporting to police and reduce repeat 
victimisation by 10% 
STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 


OBJECTIVE 3 – WORKING IN P ARTNERSHIP – PREVENTION 
• 
Drugs and drug-related crime- to 
reduce reports to police of drug related 
and alcohol related crime by 10% 
• 
Homophobic crime – to increase 
willingness to report crime and to 
ensure that 75% of victims are 
satisfied with the service they receive 
• 
Racial harassment- to encourage 
reports of racial incidents to police and 
reduce repeat victimisation by 10% 
• 
Street crime and burglary- to achieve 
yearly targets in line with the 
Metropolitan Police Service Policing 
Plan 
The Safer Neighbourhoods Initiative 

The Safer Neighbourhoods initiative is a 
new partnership policing style that will 
tackle quality of life crimes and issues 
across London. Teams of named officers 
will be dedicated to each council ward; 
typically this team will consist of one 
sergeant, two PCs and three Community 
Support Officers. It is intended that these 
officers are ring-fenced to their particular 
ward, so they cannot be taken away to 
deal with other duties and they can build 
up a degree of specialist knowledge of 
local circumstances. The Home Office 
Strategic Plan 2004 –2008 aims to 
replace the current sector based policing 
with the new style neighbourhood 
policing plan in every borough across 
London before 2008. 

Police Community Support Officers 

Kensington and Chelsea currently have 
PCSO’s on many wards in the borough 
who work alongside the Police and 
provide a reassuring presence in key hot 
spots of our community. The strategy 
acknowledges the value these officers 
bring and the need for partner agencies 
to work with the Police in extending this 
service. 

The role of the Police within the local 
community is essential to broaden 
people’s understanding on how crime can 
be tackled and prevented and increase 
Police knowledge of local problems. 

Sharing of Information 

The TMO and the Council signed an 
exchange of information protocol with 
the Police, Probation Service and Health 
Authority in 1999. Power under Section 
115 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 
and the Data Protection Act 1998 allow 
agencies to disclose information for 
purposes of the detection and prevention 

of crime. In all other circumstances, 
where there are data protection issues, 
the TMO and Council will only provide 
information to other agencies provided 
the identity and confidential details 
relating to an individual remain 
anonymous. 

Recent powers granted under the Police 
Reform Act 2002, allows other housing 
providers to share information with 
statutory agencies to address anti social 
behaviour. 

3.9 CASBAT 
The Community Anti-Social Behaviour 
Action Team- or CASBAT- is a team led by 
Kensington and Chelsea Police and the 
Council which is dedicated to 
coordinating and monitoring action on 
anti-social behaviour across the borough. 
The team liaises with a wide range of 
partner agencies, particularly the TMO, 
other social landlords, Social Services, the 
Youth Offending Team and the Youth 
Service. 

A Steering Group has been set up to 
ensure the protocol and use of ASBOs are 
promoted and used consistently within 

each agency and to address any 
problems, including those of funding. 
The Steering Group comprises 
representatives from the Local 
Authority’s Community Safety Team, 
Social Services, the Youth Offending 
Team and Legal Services, the Chief 
Inspector for the Police Partnerships, a 
representative of the Registered Social 
Landlords within the borough, an officer 
from CASBAT and a representative from 
the TMO. 

3.10 Environmental Services 
Noise 

Complaints about noise are dealt with by 
the Council’s Environmental Services 
Team’s Noise & Nuisance Service. The 
main work of the team is the control of 
noise from both domestic homes and 
commercial businesses, and this applies 
across the whole range of different 
tenures. They also deal with other 
nuisances and a range of environmental 
health problems that occur outside office 
hours. 

The most frequent complaints they 
receive are about: 

• 
Neighbour noise such as loud music 
and parties 
• DIY 
• Burglar alarms 
• Car alarms 
• Noise from pubs and night clubs 
• Smells from restaurants 
• Noise and dust from construction sites 
• Road works 
• 
Noise from air conditioning units and 
other mechanical equipment 
They cannot deal with aircraft, road 
traffic noise or certain aspects of train 
noise. 

The Noise and Nuisance service has 
prepared an information pamphlet 
entitled “Environmental Health 24 hour 
call out service” and tenants should 
request this if they feel it would be 
helpful. 

Filthy and verminous properties 

The Environmental Services Team also has 
duties to investigate filthy and verminous 
premises and handle cases of vagrancy. 
Frequently this will involve working 
closely with social services and the TMO 
or other landlord. 

STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 

13 

Working in 
Partnership – 
Enforcement 


OBJECTIVE 4 – WORKING IN P ARTNERSHIP – ENFORCEMENT 
Working in Partnership – Enforcement


There are a variety of legal remedies available to the various 
agencies. In some cases only one remedy will be needed; occasionally several will be used to complement each other. A high 
proportion of the enforcement measures outlined below give the 
offender an opportunity for rehabilitation. In the majority of cases 
we will be seeking to rehabilitate perpetrators both through 
agency referral and non-conclusive enforcement measures. 

4.1 Acceptable Behaviour 
Contract (ABC) 
Acceptable Behaviour Contracts were 
introduced in the London Borough of 
Islington in November 1999 as a means 
of controlling the behaviour of named 
youths on estates. The TMO and other 
registered social landlords in RBKC started 
using them in 2001. 

The contract is essentially a voluntary 
agreement between the housing 
authority, the police and the youth that 
he/she will conform to an acceptable 
standard of behaviour both on and off 
the estate. The child’s parent or guardian 
plays a major part in this contract - they 
must attend the interview at which the 
contract is signed. Both they and the 
child are made aware of the possible 
consequences of breaching the 
agreement. The TMO may take possession 
action or ask the Council to seek an ASBO 
on their behalf. In essence it is a means 
of not only getting the child to realise the 
seriousness of their family’s situation but 
also getting the families to acknowledge 
and to take ownership of the 
unacceptable behaviour of their child. 

The contract is not legally binding, but for 
many families it acts as a last chance 
before taking the more serious step of 
evicting a family or taking the first step 
on the path of giving the child a criminal 
record. 


Who can obtain an ABC? 

Any agency can use it, but it tends to be 
more usual for the police and the TMO or 
other landlord to work together on them, 
in consultation with the Youth Offending 
Team and CASBAT. 

4.2 Anti Social Behaviour 
Order (ASBO) 
The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 gives 
the Magistrates’ Court power to make an 
Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO). This 
is a civil order which, provided the preconditions for making it are satisfied, 
entitles a court to prohibit the defendant 
from doing anything described in the 
order. The pre-conditions for making an 
order are: 

a that the person has acted in an antisocial manner which has caused or is 
likely to cause harassment, alarm or 
distress to one or more persons not of 
the same household as himself; and 
b that such an order is necessary to 
protect persons in the local authority 
area in which the harassment, alarm 
or distress was caused or was likely to 
be caused from further anti-social 
acts by him. 

The procedure for making an application 
is by way of a complaint to the 
Magistrates’ Court for the area that 
includes the place where it is alleged that 
the harassment, alarm or distress was 
caused or was likely to be caused. The 
applications may be made by either the 
Chief Executive of the local authority or 
Chief Officer of the police and only after 
consultation between these parties. The 
dual power of application and the 
requirement of consultation reflect the 
new duties on councils and the police to 
co-ordinate strategies to reduce crime 
and disorder. An application for an order 
may be made if it appears the precondition set out in a) and b) above are 
fulfilled with respect to a person aged 10 
or over. 

A court may make an order only if it is 
satisfied that it is necessary to protect a 
person from further anti-social acts by 
the defendant. The prohibitions that may 
be imposed by the order are those 
necessary for the purpose of protecting 
persons in the local authority area from 
further anti-social acts by the defendant. 
The court has wide discretion as to what 
prohibitions to impose, although this 
might include orders excluding the 
defendant from a particular place for a 
period of time or orders not to make 
contact with named individuals. The 
duration of the order is at the discretion 
of the court, subject to a minimum of 2 
years. Both the applicant and the 
defendant may apply to have the order 
varied or discharged, with the exception 
that an ASBO cannot be discharged 
within the first 2 years except with the 
consent of both parties. 

Doing anything that is prohibited by an 
ASBO without reasonable excuse, is an 
offence punishable on summary 
conviction by a fine not exceeding the 
statutory maximum or up to 6 months 
imprisonment, or both. On conviction or 
indictment (if referred to the Crown 
Court) the offence is punishable by a fine 
or imprisonment up to 5 years or both. If 
a person is convicted of breaching an 
ASBO they can be arrested. 

In the case of under eighteen-year-olds a 
case conference must be held with 
representatives from the Youth Offending 
Team and Social Services in attendance. 
The Child Protection Team and Education 
Welfare must also be advised and they 
may attend. The court will ask for 
evidence that such a case conference has 
been held before granting an order. 

Who can obtain an ASBO? 

Only the Council or the Police (or other 
registered social landlord). As an Arms 
Length Management Organisation, the 
TMO cannot obtain ASBOs and the 
Council has to act on its behalf. 

4.3 Injunctions to prevent 
Anti-Social behaviour 
An anti-social behaviour injunction 
applies to conduct which is: 

a capable of causing nuisance or 
annoyance to any person 
b directly or indirectly relates to the 
housing management functions of the 
landlord 

15
STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 


OBJECTIVE 4 – WORKING IN P ARTNERSHIP – ENFORCEMENT 
The Court must be satisfied that the 
Ground 1 

person against whom the injunction is 
being sought has engaged in anti-social 
behaviour and that it has caused 
nuisance or annoyance to anyone 
residing in property managed by the 
landlord, occupying other 
accommodation in the neighbourhood, a 
person engaged in lawful activity in the 
neighbourhood or a person indirectly or 
directly employed by the landlord. 

This means that the TMO or any other 
landlord can take action against people 
who are not tenants but who are causing 
nuisance on TMO managed property. 


4.4 Injunctions against 
unlawful use of premises 
This concerns unlawful use of the 
premises, such as running a brothel or 
operating an illegal business. 

When anti-social behaviour injunctions or 
injunctions against the unlawful use of 
premises are granted, the court may ban 
the subject of the injunction from any 
specified premises or areas if there is a 
threat or risk of harm. The Court may also 
attach a power of arrest to the injunction. 

4.5 Injunctions against breach 
of tenancy agreement 
Before granting an injunction on this 
basis the court must be satisfied that the 
tenant is 

a 
causing nuisance or annoyance to any 
person or 

b 
allowing, inciting or encouraging any 
other person to engage or threaten to 
engage in such conduct 

Who can obtain an anti-social 
behaviour injunction? 

Only the TMO or other registered social 
landlord. 

16 
4.6 Possession Action 
Possession Orders can be obtained for 
breach of an express clause in the 
tenancy agreement. The TMO has 
expressly included a wide range of 
tenancy conditions that relate specifically 
to anti-social behaviour:

Anti-social behaviour and harassment 

5.15.1 The tenant will not cause a 
nuisance or disturbance to any 
person or commit any acts of 
harassment to any person within 
the property, common parts or 
locality. 
5.15.2 This will include (but is not limited 
to) the following: 
a Harassment by reason of age, race, 
gender, religion, culture or sexuality 
b Violence or threats of violence to 
any persons 
c Abuse or insulting words or 
behaviour 
d Drinking related offences 
e 
Damage or threat of damage to 
property belonging to another 
person 

f Writing graffiti on Council property 
g Threatening, abusive or insulting 
graffiti 
h Making unnecessary or excessive 
noise by any means whatsoever 
i Handling or storage of stolen goods 
or involved in any other criminal 
activity 
j Any act or omission calculated to 
inconvenience or interfere with the 
peace and comfort of any person 
k Damage to security systems, 
including closed circuit television 
equipment, door entry or alarm 
systems 

5.15.3 If the tenant is found to be in 
breach of this agreement the 
landlord may commence legal 
proceedings that may include 
possession of the property, 
injunctions, orders or arrest and will 
work with other agencies to ensure 
a safe neighbourhood within the 
scope of the law. 
Grounds for possession 

Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1985 
covers the grounds for possession of 
secure tenancies. Grounds 1 and 2 can 
be applied against tenants whose 
behaviour is anti-social. These are 
grounds upon which the Court may 
order possession if it considers it 
reasonable. 

Rent lawfully due from the tenant has 
not been paid or an obligation of the 
tenancy has been broken or not 
performed. (see above conditions of 
tenancy). 

Ground 2 

The tenants or a person residing in or 
visiting the dwelling house 

a 
has been guilty of conduct causing or 

likely to cause a nuisance or 

annoyance to a persons residing, 

visiting or otherwise engaging in a 

lawful activity in the locality or 

b has been convicted of 
i using the dwelling house, or 
allowing it to be used for immoral 
or illegal purposes, or 
ii an arrestable offence committed 
in, or in the locality of the 
dwelling house. 

ASBOs in conjunction with 
possession orders 

A landlord taking possession proceedings 
can also ask for a person who is not the 
tenant but who is linked to the address to 
be joined to the possession action and an 
ASBO awarded against them. In respect of 
people under the age of 16 the court is 
also obliged to make a Parenting Order. 

Demoted tenancies 

This is an alternative to possession action 
that takes away someone’s security of 
tenancy for a period of twelve months 
where serious anti-social behaviour has 
occurred. During this period, the tenancy 
can still be brought to an end if there are 
further incidents. A demoted tenancy may 
also be sought where it is considered 
unlikely that a possession order would be 
obtained, particularly if the tenant and 
his/her family are considered vulnerable. 
The TMO does not use these at present, 
but may do so in the future. 

Who can take possession action? 

Only the TMO or other registered social 
landlord. 

4.7 Injunction under 
Section 222 of the Local 
Government Act 1972 
Local Authorities can take out these 
injunctions if they can show that it is 
expedient to do so for the promotion or 
protection of the interest of the 
inhabitants of the area. The power of 
arrest may be attached to this at the 
court’s discretion. 

STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 


OBJECTIVE 4 – WORKING IN P ARTNERSHIP – ENFORCEMENT 
The Council at the request of the TMO 
used the Act in 2003 to ban five known 
drug dealers from the whole of the north 
of the borough and to prohibit them from 
entering any property in RBKC where 
drugs are being sold, and to ban them 
from entering any property owned by 
RBKC. This injunction has been so 
effective that the numbers of crack 
houses across all tenures in the borough 

have been dramatically reduced. It should 
also be noted that this is a life ban and 
therefore is not time-limited as in the 
case of an ASBO. The jailing of the five in 
2004 for breaches of it has shown that 
the police and the TMO are determined to 
stamp out crack houses in TMO managed 
property. 

The use of this act is undoubtedly 
effective, but it must be remembered that 
it can only be used in cases of nuisance 
which are so severe that they can be 
defined as a Public nuisance. 

Who can use Section 222? 

Only the Council. 

4.8 Closure of premises 
where drugs are unlawfully 
used 
The police have the power to close down 
immediately any premises they 
reasonably believe has been used for the 
supply, use or production of Class A 
drugs. They must serve a notice which 
will close the premises to the public until 
a magistrate’s court decides whether to 
make a closure order. The local authority 
must have been consulted, and reasonable steps need to have been taken, to 
find out who is living there. 

The court must consider the notice within 
48 hours. If it is satisfied that the 
relevant conditions are met, it can make a 
closure order which closes the premises 
altogether for a period of up to 3 months, 
with possible extensions up to a 
maximum of 6 months. 

Who can obtain a closing order? 

Only the police 

4.9 Dispersal orders 
Under Part 4 of the Anti-Social Behaviour 
Act 2003 the local police and the Council 
have the power to declare dispersal zones 
if they both agree that members of the 
public have been intimidated, harassed, 
alarmed or distressed as a result of the 
presence or behaviour of two or more 
persons and that anti-social behaviour is 
a significant and persistent problem in 
the locality. They do not need to go to 
court to do this. 

During specific hours and for a specific 
period a constable or PCSO may give one 
or more of three following directions 

• 
Tell people in the group to leave 
• 
Tell the people who don’t live in the 
area to leave 
• 
Tell people who don’t live in the area 
not to return to the area 
Under sixteen-year-olds may be removed 
to their homes or to a place of safety. A 
refusal to follow the officer’s directions is 
a summary offence. The penalty on 
conviction for this offence is a fine or a 
maximum of three months imprisonment 
for adults. 

Who can obtain a dispersal order? 

Only the police 

STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 

4.10 Powers to Deal with Noise 
Nuisance – Environmental 
Health Noise and 
Nuisance Team 
Service of an abatement notice 

If the Noise and Nuisance Officer is 
satisfied that formal action can be taken 
then an abatement notice can be served 
on the person responsible for the noise 
or, under certain circumstances, on the 
owner or occupier of the premises. This 
may require that the noise be reduced, so 
as not to cause a nuisance or that it is 
limited to certain times. It is unlikely that 
the Council can stop the noise 
completely, as the remedy must be both 
reasonable and practicable. A person on 
whom an abatement notice has been 
served has a right of appeal within 21 
days of it being served. 

Failure to comply with the abatement 
notice 

If a person fails to comply with the 
conditions of an abatement notice, and 
there is no reasonable cause or justification for this, then an offence will have 
been committed. The Noise and Nuisance 
Officer will need to witness or obtain 
evidence of the contravention and tenants 
may be asked to give evidence on this. 

The Council can issue prosecution 
proceedings and the Courts can impose 
fines up to £10,000 with further daily 
fines of up to £500. Repeated 
contraventions can result in a custodial 
sentence. The Council can also consider 
taking steps to abate the nuisance ‘in 
default’ of the person concerned and this 
can include seizure, and forfeiture, of the 
noise making equipment. 

Seeking an injunction 

If, after investigating a complaint, the 
Council consider the noise nuisance 
extremely serious or that urgent action is 
warranted, or where the conditions of an 
abatement notice are being flagrantly 
ignored, then an injunction can be sought 
to prevent the noise. Failure to comply 
with this is considered contempt of court 
and a custodial sentence can be imposed. 

4.11 Filthy and verminous 
properties 
The Environmental Services Team have 
power to act under sections 83-86 of the 
Public Health Act 1936 and section 36-37 
of the Public Health Act 1961 where 
properties are filthy and verminous. 

17 

Evaluating our
performance 



OBJECTIVE 5 – EVALUA TING OUR PERFORMANCE 
Evaluating Our Performance


5.1 Monitoring 
Tackling anti-social behaviour is a key 
priority of the statutory crime and 
disorder partnership in the Royal 
Borough’s Community Safety Programme 
Board. It considers progress on action to 
address this, and other key priorities, at 
its quarterly meetings. On an annual 
basis it stands back to evaluate the 
outcome of actions taken by different 
agencies including the TMO. This enables 
a borough-wide view to be taken on the 
success of measures taken to tackle antisocial behaviour by a range of agencies in 
Kensington and Chelsea. The results of 
evaluation are taken into account when 
future measures are being considered. 

As part of the Council's developing 
approach in relation to performance 
monitoring of the TMO, it is proposed 
that the annual performance plan to be 
agreed between the TMO and the Council 
will incorporate monitoring of 
performance of activity around ASB 
issues. A half yearly report based on the 
key items in the plan is presented to the 
Council's Cabinet Member for Housing 
and the Housing, Health and Social 
Services Overview and Scrutiny 
Committee. These measures will allow 
consideration by the Council of the scope 
and success of the TMO's approach in 
relation to ASB cases. 

The TMO keeps statistical records of all 
complaints received about anti-social 
behaviour, the action taken and the 
outcomes. The ASB monitoring reports 
are presented to the TMO’s Equalities and 
Audit and Performance Review 
Committees on a six monthly basis. 
Additionally the TMO keeps internal 
records of all domestic violence cases 
which are reported and these records are 
passed to the domestic violence steering 
group. 

The TMO meets with the Police, CASBAT, 
other RSLs and Environmental Services 
each month and reviews all serious cases 
that have been reported. In this way all 
cases reported can be cross-referenced by 
all agencies involved. For the majority of 
cases that involve joint action, the 
minutes provide a useful guide to the 
action points on every case discussed and 
set out a time frame for its completion by 
each agency. In many of these cases it 
has been possible to make connections 
between cases in which the TMO and 
other RSLs have a common perpetrator. 

STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 

19 

Communications 
Strategy 


OBJECTIVE 6 – COMMUNICA TIONS STRA TEGY 
Communications Strategy 

At a strategic level our aim is to ensure that we communicate at 
the following levels 

6.1 How we communicate with tenants and leaseholders 
6.2 How we communicate throughout the organisation 
6.3 How we communicate with our partners 
6.4 How we communicate at a national level 
6.3 How we communicate with 
our partners 
The TMO sends representatives to the 
Sector Working Group for each Police 
Sector, the steering groups for CASBAT, 
the Drug Action team, the Race Equality 
Partnership and the Domestic Violence 
Forum. Tenancy Managers are active 
members of the Racial Incidents Panel, a 
sub group of the Race Equality 
Partnership, which visits Notting Hill 
Police Station and reviews how cases of 
racial harassment have been managed. 

The TMO also meets regularly with the 
Council’s advice and assistance unit and 
the Homeless Persons Team. 

6.4 How we communicate at a 
national level 
At a national level the TMO works closely 
with the Social Landlord’s Crime and 
Nuisance Group (SLCNG), which is the 
leading housing based group focusing on 
nuisance and ASB. It has over 240 social 
landlord members, and the TMO has 
played an active role in promoting good 
practice particularly in the areas of 
effectively tackling drug related activity 
and getting tenants involved with 
policies, procedures, and publicity. We 
have also assisted the SLCNG in lobbying 
Government for the tools to tackle 
nuisance and anti-social behaviour. We 
continue to promote the work of the 
SLCNG, and have hosted 3 conferences in 
the last 5 years to ensure that 
practitioners and tenants benefit from 
sharing information, their experiences 
and models of good practice. 

6.1 How we communicate with 
tenants and leaseholders 
A vital part of tackling Anti-Social 
Behaviour is ensuring that residents and 
professionals know: 

• 
what social responsibility is about 
• 
what we are doing 
• 
how our communities can participate 
• 
what are our successes 
The TMO has issued both a Tenant and a 
Leaseholders handbook to all its residents. 
Additionally, there are a number of 
leaflets and handbooks that have been 
prepared on a variety of topics that are 
available from TMO offices. The TMO also 
publishes the TMO Link magazine on a 
quarterly basis which is sent to all of our 
tenants and leaseholders and this 
frequently includes articles on anti-social 
behaviour. The Council and the TMO take 
the opportunity whenever possible to 
issue press releases on our successes, to 
demonstrate to the public that we take 
the issue of anti-social behaviour 
seriously and are prepared to act on it. 

Publicity is essential if local communities 
are to support us in tackling anti-social 
behaviour. Good publicity can also have a 
positive effect on people who commit 
anti-social behaviour, some of whom 
believe that the TMO will not evict them 
despite their behaviour. This is particularly 
so with regard to possession proceedings. 
Knowing that the TMO can and will evict 
people is an important deterrent. 

ASBOs in particular protect local 
communities. Obtaining the order is only 
part of the process and its effectiveness 
will normally depend on local people 
knowing about it. This should be the main 
objective of any publicity, especially 
where it is about young people. 
Obviously, where the court making the 
order imposes reporting restrictions 
under Section 39 of the Children and 
Young Person Act 1933, these must be 
scrupulously observed. 

When deciding whether or not to 
publicise a case of any sort, the TMO, the 
Council and the Police, in consultation, 
will consider the following; 

a 
In the case of an under 17 year old, 
advice will be taken from the Youth 
Offending Team as to the likely effect 
on the individual. 

b 
The effect on other family members 
such as younger siblings should also 
be considered 

Clearly, every case must be considered 
individually and a balancing exercise 
carried out between the need to publicise 
a successful outcome against the possible 
detrimental effect on the perpetrator and 
the perpetrator’s family. 

6.2 How we communicate 
throughout the 
organisation 
Briefing notes are issued to all staff 
throughout the TMO on a monthly basis 
by the Chief Executive and these are 
discussed at regular monthly team 
meetings. 


STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 

21 

APPENDIX - AGENCY DIRECT ORY 
Children’s Activities 

PLAY CENTRES 


Avondale Park School Play Centre 
Sirdar Road, London W11 4EE 

Open M/T/W/T/F - Hours 3.30pm6.00pm 
Tel: 020 7 229 5488 


Barlby Road Play Centre 
Barlby Road, London W10 5LW 
Open T/W/T - Hours 3.30-6.00pm 
Tel: 020 8968 0937 


Bevington School Play Centre 
Bevington Road, London W10 5TW 
Open M/T/W/T - Hours 3.30-5.30pm 
Tel: 020 8964 2557 


Colville School Play Centre 
Lonsdale Road, London W11 2DF 
Open M/T/W/T/F - Hours 3.00-6.00pm 
Tel: 020 7792 2455 


Flashpoint Play Centre 
World’s End Estate, London SW10 
Open M/T/W/T/F - Hours 3:00-8:00pm 
Tel: 020 7351 2186 


Fox School Play Centre 
Kensington Place, London W8 7PP 
Open M/T/W - Hours 3.30-6.00pm 
Tel: 020 72212816 


Holland Park Transition Centre 
Sports Department, Holland Park 
Secondary School, Airlie Gardens W8 
Open T/W/T - Hours 3.30-6.00pm 
Tel: 020 7727 8507 


Holy Trinity School/Play Centre 
Holy Trinity Infants School. Cadogan 
Gardens, Sloane Square, SW3 
Open M/T/W/T - Hours 3.30-5.30pm 
Tel: 020 7730 5320 


Middle Row School Play Centre 
Kensal Road, London W10 5DB 
Open M/T/W/T/F - Hours 3.30-6.00pm 
Tel: 020 8964 0948 


Oxford Gardens School Play Centre 
Oxford Gardens, London W10 6NF 
Open M/T/W/T/F 


Park Walk School Play Centre 

Park Walk, Kings Road, London SW10 
Open M/T/W/T/F - Hours 3.30-6.00pm 
Tel: 020 7351 6867 

St. Barnabas & St. Phillips Play 
Centre 

58 Earls Court Road, London W11 6EJ 
Open M/T/W/T/F - Hours 3.30-6.00pm 
Tel: 020 7937 9599 

St. Clements & St. James School 
Play Centre 

Penzance Place, London W11 4DG 
Open M/T/W/T/F - Hours 3.30-6.00pm 
Tel: 020 7602 7486 

Thomas Jones School Play Centre 

St. Marks Road, London W11 1RQ 
Open T/W/T - Hours 3.30-6.00pm 
Tel 020 7727 1423 

Community Education 


Campden Institute 
95 Lancaster Road, London W11 1QQ 
Tel: 020 7598 4905 

Drugs and Substance Use 


Alcohol Resource Centre 
Tel: 020 8960 5505 
314 Ladbroke Grove, London W10 5NQ 


Basement Project 
Tel: 020 7373 2335 
4 Hogarth Road, Earls Court, London 
SW5 0PT 


Blenheim Project 
Tel: 020 8960 5599 
321 Portobello Road, London W10 5SY 


Community Assessment & Primary 
Services (North) 
Tel: 020 7886 6485 
St. Mary’s Hospital, 16 South Wharf 
Road, London W2 1NY 


Community Assessment & Primary 
Services (South) 
Tel: 020 8746 5800 
69 Warwick Road, London SW5 9HB 


Health Information Project 

Tel: 020 8960 5510 
51 Golborne Road, London W10 5NR 

Kensington and Chelsea Drug 
Action Team 

Tel: 020 7938 3013 
Whitlock House, c/o Kensington Police 
Station, 72-74 Earls Court Road, 
London W8 6EQ 

Opendoor – Substance Use Floating 
Support Service 

(Preventing Tenancy Breakdown) 
Tel: 020 7243 3416 
106 Weston Street, London SE1 3QB 

RBKC Substance Use Care 
Management Team 

Tel: 020 8960 8418 
Social Services North, 140 Ladbroke 
Grove, London W10 5ND 

Westminster Drug Project 

Tel: 020 7286 3339 
470 Harrow Road, London W9 3RU 

Education Welfare Service 


Isaac Newton Professional 
Development Centre 
108a Lancaster Road, London 
W11 1QS 
Tel: 020 7598 4801 

Environmental Services 

During normal office hours 
Environmental Health Officers/Technical 
Officers can be contacted through the 
Customer Service Unit, telephone number 
020 7341 5282. 

Outside of normal office hours the call 
out officers may be contacted by tenants 
through call handling service, telephone 
number 020 7361 3483. 

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STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 


APPENDIX - AGENCY DIRECT ORY 
Financial Support 


Further and Higher Education 
Awards 
Grants to Voluntary Organisations 
Summer Holiday Project Grants 
Post-16 Student Support, Education 

Department, 
Town Hall, Hornton Street, London W8 
7NX 

Tel: 020 7361 3328 


Community Education Campden 
Institute 
95 Lancaster Road, London W11 1QQ 
Tel: 020 7598 4904 

Mediation Service 


C.A.L.M. mediation service 
51b Philbeach Gardens, London SW5 0EB 
Tel. No. 020 7341 7304, Fax No. 020 

7341 7301, e-mail: info@
calmmediation.org
This service is free, confidential, 


independent and impartial. 

Mental Health 

DAY AND RESOURCE CENTRES 


Denbigh Centre 
1 Elkstone Road, London W10 5NT 

Tel: 020 8968 5569 
The Denbigh Centre provides long term 
support to people with severe and enduring mental health problems. The centre 
offers individual and group support with a 
drop-in centre. If you want to join contact 
your Care Co-ordinator and ask them to 
refer you. The centre is open Monday 
Friday as a drop-in and for lunch between 
12 and 4pm. Groups are held between 
11am and 12. 


OREMI 
Unit 3, Trellick Tower, Golborne Road, 
London W10 5NX 

Tel: 020 8964 0033 
OREMI is Yoruba which is a Nigerian word 
meaning friend. This resource offers a 
range of services to people of African or 
Caribbean origin living in Kensington and 
Chelsea who have mental health problems. 
The Day Centre is open every day - there is 
a drop-in Monday, Tuesday and Friday 
10am - 4pm and Wednesday 12 - 4pm. 
You can use the drop-in without being 
referred. 


Pembroke Centre 
74-76 Pembroke Road, London W8 
6NX 

Tel: 020 7603 0722 
The Pembroke also provides long term support to people with mental health problems. It runs a drop-in where you can talk 
to staff and get support and advice. 
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am 

- 4.30pm - Wednesday 9am - 2pm
Sunday 10am - 3.30pm
St. Marks Day Centre 
1-9 St. Marks Road, London W11 1RG 

Tel: 020 7727 6210 
The centre offers a regular programme of 
activities and learning opportunities as well 

as providing long term support and assistance. 
Monday - Friday 9.15am - 4pm 
There is also a social evening called ‘The 

Roof Top Club’ for people aged 18 to 35. 
Mondays until 7.30pm. 

To join the centre clients need to be 
referred by their Care Co-ordinator. For 
other social gatherings please see SMART 
Clubs. There are several support teams 
working in the Borough 


The 76 Café 
76 Pembroke Road, London W8 6NX 
Tel: 020 7603 0722 

The 76 Café is attached to the Pembroke 
Centre - it provides meals as well as access 
to and advice about mental health services. 
The café also functions as a supported 
work scheme. The café is open and no 
referral is required. If clients wish to work 
in the café they can contact it directly or 
be referred by their CMT worker. The 
Pembroke is also developing another 
employment scheme called ‘A Movable 
Feast’ which is a catering service. 

SUPPORT FOR TENANTS WITH 
MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS 


NHHT Floating Support Service for 
Kensington and Chelsea Mental 
Health 
Tel: 020 8357 5367 

Provides practical and emotional support 
within the home for Notting Hill tenants 
and people in temporary accommodation 
with a range of needs. Referral through 
the Housing Department, landlord or CMHT. 
Contact the Senior Floating Support 
Worker for referrals. 


Open Door Kensington and Chelsea 
Support Team 
Apex Court, 1 Woodger Road, London 
W12 8NW 
Tel: 020 8740 1419 

This is the largest support team in the 
Borough. They provide flexible, practical 
support within the home for people with 
severe and enduring mental health problems. The intensity of the support provided 
will depend upon need. They also have a 
dual diagnosis worker. Referral is made 
through the Community Mental Health 
Team. 


St. Mungo’s Day Support Project 
240 Lancaster Road, London W11 4AH 
Tel: 020 7792 4026, 
Fax: 020 7792 8434, 
e-mail: 240lancasterroad@mungos.org 
Also provide home support services. For 
further information please contact them on 
the above number. 

MENTAL HEALTH 
ACCOMMODATION SERVICE 

People with mental health problems, HIV 
and AIDS, and substance misuse problems 
who are being rehoused by the Royal 
Borough in Council or Housing Association 
accommodation can be helped by a resettlement officer. 

Short term practical help and support is 
available, including liaison with housing 
officers, Social Services, voluntary organisations, advice on benefits claims, help with 
getting gas and electricity connected, budgeting and obtaining furniture. 

Tel: 020 7361 3098 

COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH TEAMS 

NORTH 


Team A 
Manager: Sian Thomas 
Consultant: Dr. Sandy Bremner 
St. Charles Hospital, Exmoor Street, 

London W10 6DZ
Tel: 020 8962 4189



Team B 
Manager: Jose Mensah-Tadoh 
Consultant: Dr. Richard Evans 
Chamberlain House, St. Charles Hospital, 

Exmoor Street, London W10 6DZ
Tel: 020 8962 4365



Team C 
Manager: Carole Jarvis 
Consultant: Dr. Peter Duke 
81 Barlby Road, London W10 6AZ 
Tel: 020 8968 1728 

SOUTH 


Courtfield Team 
Manager: Steve Chamberlain 

Consultant: Dr. John Meehan and Dr. 
Clare Smith 
23a Courtfield Gardens, London 

SW5 0PF
Tel: 020 7598 4555



South Team 
Manager: Aurelie Freeman 

Consultant: Dr. Brigett, Dr. Annie Hall, 
Dr. Frances Klemperer and Dr. Mullan 
South Kensington and Chelsea Mental 

Health Centre 
1 Nightingale Place, London SW10 9NG 
Tel: 020 8846 6080 

23
STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR 


APPENDIX - AGENCY DIRECT ORY 
Partnership with the 
Community 


Education Business Partnership 
Kensington & Chelsea Education 

Business Partnership 
Isaac Newton P.D.C., 108A Lancaster 
Road, London W11 1QS 

Tel: 020 7598 4820 


Lifelong Learning Forum
Drugs Education Forum
Community Education
Education Department, Town Hall, 
Hornton Street, London W8 7NX 
Tel: 020 7598 4900 

Police 


Kensington and Chelsea
Neighbourhood Watch
Lorna Clarke is the Borough’s NHW Coordinator for Kensington and Chelsea. 
This post is based within the 
Community Safety Team, c/o 
Kensington Police Station, 72 Earl’s 
Court Road, London W8 6EQ. If you 
have any questions or queries you can 
contact Lorna on: 020 8246 0824 

Kensington and Chelsea Youth 
Offending Team 
36 Oxford Gardens, London W10 5UQ 
Tel: 020 7598 4700 

Royal Borough of Kensington & 
Chelsea – Housing Needs 

020 7361 3341 

Sports Development 


Sports Development Office 
The Canalside Activity Centre, The 
Boathouse Centre, Canal Close, 
W10 5AY 

Tel: 020 8968 4976 

TMO – all departments 


TMO Customer Services 
0800 137 111 

Victim Support 


Domestic Violence 
The Council has produced a domestic 
violence directory that sets out the 
services provided by Social Services, 
the Health Service, Housing Services, 
the Police and Emergency Services, 
Solicitors, legal advice, and other support agencies. To obtain a copy of this 
directory please contact: 


The Community Safety Team, 
Whitlock House, 72-74 Earls Court 
Road, London W8 6EQ 
Tel. 020 7795 6660 


Notting Hill Police Station 
101 Ladbroke Grove, London W11 3PL 
020 8246 0226 


Kensington and Chelsea Victim 
Support 

020 8960 4613 

Al-Hasaniya Moroccan Women’s 
Project 

020 8969 2292 

Women’s Trust 

020 7352 7775 

Chelsea Women’s Aid Outreach 
Team 

020 7351 0271
07951 602 210 (24 hour)



Refuge London-wide 24-hour
helpline


0870 599 5443 

London Lesbian and Gay
Switchboard


020 7837 7324 

NKLC Information about Solicitors 

020 8969 7473 

Racial Harassment 

The Council’s directory ‘Combating 
Racial Harassment’ provides a comprehensive list of organisations that 
may be able to assist individuals who 
are experiencing racial harassment. To 
obtain a copy please contact the 
TMO’s Equalities Officer. 


Social Services 
Social Services should be contacted in 
cases where victims need additional 
assistance from this Agency. Tel: 020 
7937 5464 


Victim Support 
Many of the victims of harassment 
who report the incident to the police 
will be referred to Victim Support. 

Tel: 020 7259 2424 

Youth Work 

YOUTH CENTRES 


Alexander & Seventh Feathers
Youth Club
C/o Y.C.T.V., Ladbroke Hall, 77 Barlby 
Road, London W10 6AZ 
Tel: 020 8968 7488 


Al-Hasaniya - Moroccan Women’s 
Project 
Bays 4 & 5 Trellick Tower, Golborne 
Road, London W10 5PL 
Tel: 020 8969 2292 


Ashburnham Comm. Ass. Youth Club 
Upcerne Road, London SW10 0SH 
Tel: 020 7352 3335 


Chelsea Estates Youth Club 
The Hut, Alpha Place, London SW3 5SZ 
Tel: 020 7351 9478 


Chelsea Youth Club 
World’s End Estate, Blantyre Street, 
London SW10 1EQ 
Tel: 020 7352 6329 


Dale Youth Club 
Avondale Park Hall, Walmer Road, 
London W11 
Tel: 020 7262 3424 


Earls Court Youth Club 
120 Ifield Road, London SW10 9AF 
Tel: 020 7373 7970 


Golborne Youth Centre 
2a Wornington Road, Swinbrook
Estate, London W10 5QJ
Tel: 020 8960 6238



The Harrow Club 
189 Freston Road, London W10 6TH 
Tel: 020 8969 2528 


Lancaster Youth Centre 
128a Lancaster Road, London W11 
Tel: 020 7221 2197 


Rugby Clubs 
223 Walmer Road, London W11 4EY 
Tel: 020 7727 6309 


Three Feathers Youth Club 
17 Bramham Gardens, London SW5 0JJ 
Tel: 020 7373 2681 

24 
STATEMENT OF POLICY ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR