Introduction

Since the introduction of the Anti-social Behaviour (ASB) Act 2003 and Police Justice Act 2005, the Safer Somerset Community Safety Partnership has made great progress in tackling anti-social behaviour at a local level.

Anti-social behaviour is a term that is applied to a wide range of activity. The definition that we use is the one in the Crime and Disorder Act, 1998 which is that “anti-social behaviour is any activity that causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to one or more persons not of the same household”.

Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 – states that all relevant authorities have a duty to consider the impact of crime and disorder in their local area.

Safer Somerset Partnership

Somerset Council, through its membership of the Safer Somerset Partnership, is committed to tackling anti-social behaviour. We meet with the police and partners at a multi-agency meeting on a weekly basis to discuss local issues that impact ordinary people’s lives and formulate action plans to provide positive outcomes for the community.

Together with other partners in the East of Somerset, we have signed up to a pledge which sets out what we will do to address anti-social behaviour.

Read more about our Environmental Crime and Anti-social Behaviour Enforcement Policy.

Examples of anti-social behaviour

Reports of anti-social behaviour will be used as intelligence gathering and will help to tackle anti-social behaviour together within the community.

Examples of things you can report are:

• street drinking
• street begging
• low-level neighbourhood issues
• abusive behaviour
• animal issues
• vandalism
• joyriding
• racial abuse
• hate crimes

For all other reports of anti-social or criminal behaviour, please contact Avon and Somerset Police or Report anti-social behaviour or by phoning 101, or in an emergency 999.

Nuisance complaints for example noise, bonfires, littering can be reported on our website.

For reports of the travelling community and encampments.

Reporting anti-social behaviour

To report anti-social behaviour, please phone us on 0300 123 2224 where a report will be passed on to the Community Safety Officer to investigate.

Alternatively, you can use the report anti-social behaviour online form below.

These methods should only be used where the anti-social behaviour incident:

• is not an emergency
• should not require police attention
• should not require an immediate response
• should not be in progress

If you feel a crime has been or is being committed, please contact Avon and Somerset Police on non-emergency number 101 or in an emergency 999.

If you are a registered social landlord tenant, you may wish to contact your housing provider to discuss the matter with them.