Harry Cohen
THE ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR BILL
The new session of parliament will begin in late November with the Queen’s Speech but before that one very important piece of legislation is due to become law, namely the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill. Many people from across the constituency contact me to highlight unacceptable behaviour whether it be by youths on the street, by ‘neighbours from hell’, or by ‘travellers’ camping in unauthorised areas.
Yobbish and anti-social behaviour remains a great concern to all of us and the measures in the Bill, surprisingly opposed by opposition parties, will strengthen the police and other authorities hand in tackling the problem.
Progress, thanks to money from government, has been made here in Warrington with the introduction of the Community Action Teams, Community Support Officers and new satellite police stations. I know, from talking to people when I conduct my mobile surgeries, that these initiatives have been warmly received and are making a difference.
Recently I joined Chief Constable Peter Fahy in Cinnamon Brow to launch the ‘Shop Watch’ initiative which allows shopkeepers to keep in contact with each other via walkie-talkies. This type of initiative which is trying to tackle threatening behaviour and robberies in the retail sector is exactly what the USDAW ‘Respect for Shopworkers Day’ in September was attempting to promote.
The Anti-Social Behaviour Bill will further assist in defeating the yobs. The police, for example, will be given powers to disperse groups of youths and return those under 16 years old back to their homes. Measures are also being proposed to deal with both commercial and residential premises that are used for the sale and consumption of drugs. Most people who write to me don’t want a long debate on the subject but rather action to remove dealers off their estates and I fully agree with them.
Over the summer constituents living in Westbrook & Callands and Woolston have suffered the inconvenience and nuisance of unauthorised travellers camps. The Anti-Social Behaviour Bill extends new powers to the police allowing them to respond quickly to a landowner’s request to remove travellers. Existing legislation covers the issue of waste and rubbish left by the travellers – up to £20,000 fines or 2 year imprisonment are the penalties for illegally disposing of waste.
These measures are not going to clear up all the problems overnight but are significant steps in the right direction. The initiatives already instigated by the police in Warrington deserve our support and congratulation. I trust that when the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill overcomes the opposition it has received in parliament and becomes law in November it will further help the police in their endeavours.
To contact Helen Jones – write to Gilbert Wakefield House, 67 Bewsey Street, Warrington, WA2 7JQ; phone 01925 232 480; fax 01925 232 239; e-mail jonesh@parliament.uk
