Local Government Ombudsman

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Bristol City Council (05B11750)

Antisocial behaviour                   Maladministration causing injustice

30 October 2006

‘Mr Hurst’ (not his real name for legal reasons) experienced regular problems from antisocial behaviour (ASB) by a gang of youths who gathered in a park close to his home. He complained that the Council did not properly investigate the disturbances he reported and that it did not take prompt action to resolve the problems he was caused.

The Ombudsman found that a number of Council departments involved had failed to follow the Council’s procedures for dealing with complaints about antisocial behaviour and, as a result, Mr Hurst’s complaints were not properly investigated. This led to delays in taking action, and so Mr Hurst and his family suffered a prolonged period of uncertainty, anxiety and distress.

The Ombudsman finds maladministration causing injustice and the Council has agreed to:

  • pay Mr Hurst compensation of £2,000;
  • immediately arrange an investigation of Mr Hurst’s continuing complaints by the ASB team and, as soon as possible thereafter, convene a case conference to determine and implement such formal action as is considered appropriate;
  • ensure that all its services can readily access and are familiar with its ASB policy and the two stage procedure for dealing with complaints. Where necessary, the Council should arrange for frontline staff to be trained or updated so that they properly understand and apply ASB procedures; ensure that all of its services that are expected to initiate informal action to resolve complaints about antisocial behaviour have clear procedures for doing so;
  • review its process for the referral of antisocial behaviour complaints to ensure that all complaints reach the departments or agencies best placed to deal with them with clear instructions as to the action required; and
  • review practice within the ASB team to ensure that officers are available to provide advice, guidance and support to other departments and agencies at all stages of the Council’s ASB process.

Date Updated: 16/01/09