Anti-yob campaigners off to visit hotspots.

Byline: Neil Atkinson ,

Moves to meet the public

COUNCILLORS and police are to tackle the yob problem in Kirklees face to face.

Local agencies will carry out street surveys in anti-social behaviour hotspots to try to reduce neighbourhood nuisance and make communities safer.

Kirklees councillors and officials and police and housing representatives will walk round neighbourhoods to see the problems, meet residents, identify their concerns and determine how to resolve them.

The street surveys are being launched as Kirklees steps up its fight against anti-social behaviour after gaining national recognition as one of 40 Respect areas, announced by the Home Office yesterday.

Clr Khizar Iqbal, who chairs the Kirklees Safer Communities Partnership, said: "Kirklees will get extra resources to tackle anti-social behaviour and introduce new measures to address the causes and consequences of it.

"We welcome Respect area status. It reflects the good work already being carried out in Kirklees. We have already prioritised the problem and established good practice in tackling it.

"We will work with communities even more closely to take swift and effective action in innovative ways.

"Everyone has a right to live free from harassment and distress and to feel safe. Anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated."

During the next two weeks community-based multi-agency meetings called Neighbourhood Management Groups will take place in Ashbrow, Almondbury, Birstall, Birkenshaw, Cleckheaton, Dewsbury West, Meltham and Mirfield.

The meetings will address a range of neighbourhood problems.

These include youths congregating, boiler thefts, under-age drinking, vandalism and trespassing, environmental health and litter problems and criminal damage.

Street surveys are initially planned for Ashbrow and Dewsbury West to launch the Respect area status.

Bill Swap, Kirklees Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinator, said: "There will be a big push this year to develop even stronger links with communities and to listen to their concerns and take action.

"We have a good track record of working in partnership with other agencies.

"But services will be even more focused, with delivery taking place at a local level and being even more effective and accountable.

"We have already put a lot of effort into preventative work with a wide range of support and enforcement interventions.

"That is why we have a low anti-social behaviour order breach rate compared to other areas nationally.

"We will continue to build on this good work by focusing even more on supporting parents and families."

Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing, the largest social landlord in the district, which manages 24,000 homes on behalf of the council, is also working closely with Mr Swap's Kirklees Anti-Social Behaviour Unit.

A KNH spokesman said: "This award to the council provides extra impetus for us to make a real difference to residents' quality of life.

"It will enable partners to work together building a culture of respect within communities.

"Understanding and responding to the needs of children and young people, and providing intensive support to families in crisis, will be particularly important."