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| Angus Antisocial Behaviour Strategy |
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Angus Council and Tayside Police, in co-operation with other key partner agencies, have developed an Antisocial Behaviour Strategy for Angus. Click here to download a copy of the Antisocial Behaviour Strategy (PDF, 812KB) For further information regarding the strategy, contact Keith Whitefield at Angus Council on 01307 473880 or email whitefieldk@angus.gov.uk Since the implementation of the Antisocial Behaviour Act 2004 Tayside Police have been working closely with other local agencies, local Councils, the Children's hearing system, the Courts system and others to ensure that the public gain maximum benefit of the legislative powers granted. Since the introduction of Fixed Penalty notices for anti-social behaviour, police officers throughout Angus have issued hundreds of £40 notices to offenders committing a range of offences. Theses have included breach of the peace, consuming alcohol in a public place, urinating and minor acts of vandalism. Most of the fixed penalties issued in Angus have been for late night offences, many following complaints from residents to the police. This activity has seen a reduction of anti-social behaviour in some areas and is in part due to the police having the ability to issue on the spot fixed penalty notices. A new power to crack down on anti-social driving in Tayside has resulted in offenders having their vehicles seized. The Police (Retention and Disposal of Motor Vehicles) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 came into force on 17 March 2005 and enabled Section 126 and 127 of the Antisocial Behaviour (Scotland) Act 2004. This introduced new powers to assist the police in dealing with people who cause alarm, distress or annoyance to the public through the antisocial use of vehicles on or off public roads. It is used to combat problems such as the antisocial use of motor vehicles in built up areas - screeching of tyres, excessive noise, loud music playing whilst the vehicle is moving, speeding and any other occasion where a motor vehicle is being used inconsiderately or without due care and attention. This legislation is also effective in combating problems caused by people using motor vehicles off road. An officer can, in addition to procedures already in force, place a warning on a vehicle and driver record on the Police National Computer if criteria under the new powers are met. A person and/or vehicle contravening the Act for a second time, who has a current valid warning marker in place, will have their vehicle seized. A person whose motor vehicle is seized must, in order to re-claim the vehicle, provide proof of ownership and pay a fee of £105 plus £12 storage per 24-hour period the garage premises stores the vehicle. Police officers in Angus have robustly used this power in response to complaints from members of the public. In October 2005 Divisional Commander for Eastern Division, Chief Superintendent Bill Harkins, announced the first seizure of a car in Angus under this legislation. Between then and May 2006 a total of 152 warnings have been issued to drivers in Angus and 19 vehicles have been seized. |
