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Wednesday 24th November 2004 |
438/2004 |
Wigan’s largest social landlord is launching a strategy that sets out to improve life for its tenants by tackling anti–social behaviour.
Wigan and Leigh Housing (WALH) will become one of the first organisations of its type to produce an Anti–Social Behaviour Statement to describe how it intends to deal with unacceptable behaviour and nuisance neighbours.
The strategy, which will be launched on Friday November 26th, has been produced by experts in WALH’s Tenancy Relations Team.
In the document WALH states its aims as: “…to be proactive in tackling neighbour
nuisance and anti–social behaviour.”
In the strategy WALH defines anti–social behaviour as including: excess noise, homes kept in poor repair, out of control children, criminal activities, failing to control animals, use of property for illegal or immoral purposes, threats or harassment, hate crime, failing to control guests and domestic violence.
The strategy also sets out a guide to the standards of behaviour it expects from tenants and residents and the action it will take to prevent and stop the misery caused by anti–social behaviour.
Examples include all new tenants being required to provide references and only accepted as tenants on a trial basis, depending on their behaviour.
Other measures WALH will use to combat problems include Acceptable Behaviour Contracts, Anti–Social Behaviour Orders and eviction and re–possession.
All social landlords are expected to produce and implement an Anti–Social Behaviour Statement by Thursday December 30th.
WALH will launch its statement at conference and consultation event, which will allow tenants and residents to have their say on the issue.
Leigh MP Andy Burnham will be on hand to launch the statement at the event at Dorset Road Community Centre on Atherton’s Hag Fold Estate.
WALHs Joint Chair John Roe said:
“Wigan is once again leading the way by producing this statement on how we will tackle anti–social behaviour.
“Anti–Social Behaviour is perceived as one of the biggest problems facing our society and WALH has proven time and again that it is prepared to meet such problems head on.
“All our tenants deserve to live free from the scourge of anti–social behaviour. We have discussed the issue with them many times in the past and will continue to do so. The statement is what both we and our tenants would like to see done about anti–social behaviour and nuisance neighbours.”
Reporters are invited to WALH’s Tackling Anti–Social Behaviour Consultation Event at Dorset Road Community Centre, Hag Fold, Atherton, between 9.30am and 3pm on Friday November 26th.