New powers are working
– and more to come, pledge MPs

3 November 2004

New powers to tackle anti-social behaviour are showing results after less than a year, claim Don Valley's crime-fighting MP…but more powers are on the way.

Welcoming Doncaster becoming one of the country's "Together Action Areas" Caroline Flint said:

"Just a year after the launch of the Government's Together campaign to tackle anti-social behaviour, Doncaster is seeing results. Nightmare neighbours are being curbed by a dedicated anti-social behaviour team; the first crack houses in Doncaster
have been shut down; the first designated dispersal area has been introduced - to clear intimidating gangs and litter louts and noisy neighbours are being served with fixed penalty notices."

Ms Flint, a Home Office Minister, added: "We've listened to residents and our message from the top of Government down is 'we're on your side and we'll reclaim the streets for decent people.'

"This Government faces up to problems of nuisance that were ignored before we had a Labour Government. Now we have powers to disperse intimidating gangs and, where necessary, to escort under-16s home at night. Young people found with acohol in apublic place, have it confiscated and poured away. The new instant fines for yobs mis-using fireworks are just the latest step to curb anti-social use of fireworks.

"People want more police on our streets and more feet on the beat. That's why we now have 140,000 police - the most in history; but we will back them up with 25,000 new Community Support Officers, and the first 2,000 will be coming to towns like Doncaster within six months.

The MP believes that Doncaster's Action Area status will help it learn from the best. The Home Office are promising expert support so that the Doncaster Crime Reduction Partnership can ensure that there is not let up on those who want to ruin our quality of life.