Examination of Witnesses (Questions 520-524)
22 FEBRUARY 2005
MR TIM
WINTER, MR
JON ROUSE
AND MR
DAVID SALUSBURY
Q520 Mr Taylor: The Committee's information
is that over 33% of ASBOs are subsequently breached. Any comment?
Mr Winter: 67% are not.
Q521 Mr Taylor: Fair enough, that is
an answer.
Mr Rouse: What it shows to me
is ASBOs by themselves are not sufficient. They are not a universal
panacea, and it really is important that they are seen as one
part of a tableau or portfolio approach that starts with prevention,
including, as the Member was saying, the design of neighbourhoods,
how they are managed, the use of neighbourhood wardens and then
goes on to support strategies, diversionary activities, and then
enforcement with a whole range of enforcement tools. ASBOs may
be the most visible sign but they are like the tip of an iceberg.
It is what is underneath the water that is perhaps more important.
Mr Winter: More seriously, certainly
I agree with the other submissions that the success of the anti-social
behaviour order cannot simply be justified in a number-crunching
exercise. The multi-agency intervention early indications show
that probably six out of seven cases are solved before an order
is obtained which means that that process is working well.
Q522 Mr Taylor: I have heard you, Mr
Winter, and I understand. Which of you gentleman would like to
comment on the usefulness or otherwise of demoted tenancies? Are
they a risky contribution to homelessness?
Mr Rouse: The first thing is that
under our regulatory code we state absolutely unequivocally that
eviction should always only be used as the last resort. Our most
recent circular which I can let the Committee have a copy of (Circular
7/04)[1]
reinforces that with a significant amount of detail. Nothing has
changed in that respect. Eviction still is a last resort option.
Nevertheless, demoted tenancies are a very important contributor
in telling people that there is a balance between rights and responsibilities.
The right to occupy your home is linked to responsibility to the
wider community to behave in an acceptable manner. I do not think
there is any problem with making that connection. Indeed, one
of my anxieties at the moment is that with the Law Commission
bringing forward proposals on tenure reform which are expected
to be published later this year that we do not lose the power
of demoted tenancies as a tool in whatever new system might come
forward.
Q523 Mr Taylor: My final question then,
Chairman, with your permission, is how common is it for possession
orders to be used? When people are evicted, does it merely move
the problem somewhere else?
Mr Rouse: We have sort of covered
this one already in an earlier answer.
Q524 Mr Taylor: I am sorry if I was not
present.
Mr Rouse: The answer is that it
can, which is why eviction and possession should be a last resort
option. These matters are far best dealt with in situ wherever
possible and displacement usually makes it more difficult to actually
deal with the problem.
Chairman: Gentlemen, thank you very much
indeed. We have covered an awful lot of ground in an hour. We
are very grateful to you.
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