Sandra Osborne

Labour Party | Ayr, Carrick & Cumnock

Addressing anti-social behaviour

Last Saturday (5 July) Sandra Osborne, MP for Ayr, chaired a special consultation meeting of the South Ayrshire Tenants and Residents Forum in the John Pollock Centre, Ayr. Under discussion was the UK Government's consultation document on using Housing Benefit Sanctions to deter and address Anti Social Behaviour.

Speaking after the meeting Sandra said:

“I was very pleased that so many tenants representatives turned out to give their views on what is one of the top priority issues raised by ordinary people when asked – the problem of anti social behaviour. I must congratulate the Council in calling the meeting.

Everyone deserves to live in peace and safety within their home environment and should be able to walk down the street without fear of what might happen. Saturday was part of a wide consultation on all isuues of anti social behaviour. The views expressed on Saturday concentrated on the Department of Works and Pensions proposals to give Local Authorities power to dock housing benefit as a sanction against anti social behaviour. I must say most people were against such action and thought it wouldn't achieve what it set out to. I hope we are all agreed that doing nothing is just not an option. Anti social behaviour is one of the top issues raised in my daily postbag and over 75% of people at my last surgery were there to raise anti social behaviour problems.

The Scottish Executive have published a consultation document covering all aspects of this issue called “Putting our Communities First : A Strategy for tackling Anti Social Behaviour” and South Ayrshire Council will be seeking local views on this. Together we must act to make life safer for all our people wherever they happen to live."

Background Information

The UK Government has recently issued a consultation paper seeking views on a possible Housing Benefit sanction to deter and address anti-social behaviour. The proposals are based on the principle that state welfare should combine rights with responsibilities, and that it is right to question whether the state should continue to support the housing costs of persons whose behaviour brings misery to the lives of individuals and communities.

It sought views on two options for implementing possible sanctions. The first option would require courts to identify whether particular offences or successful civil actions involved anti-social behaviour and this could trigger a Housing Benefit penalty. The second option would allow local authorities to apply Housing Benefit penalties in cases of anti-social behaviour without recourse to the courts.ends

Sandra Osborne MP