Report anti-social behaviour

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is defined as acting in a manner that causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one or more persons not of the same household.

Dealing with anti-social behaviour (ASB) is shared between a number of agencies, including Essex Police, councils and social landlords.

What is anti-social behaviour?

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) covers a wide range of unacceptable activity that causes harm to an individual, to their community or to their environment. This could be an action by someone else that leaves you feeling alarmed, harassed or distressed. It also includes fear of crime or concern for public safety, public disorder or public nuisance.

Together with the police, we and other community safety partner agencies, such as social housing landlords, all have a responsibility to deal with anti-social behaviour and to help people who are suffering from it.

This includes:

• Nuisance neighbours
• Rowdy and nuisance behaviour
• Yobbish behaviour and intimidating groups taking over public spaces
• Vandalism, graffiti and fly-posting
• People dealing and buying drugs on the street
• People dumping rubbish and abandoning cars
• Begging
• Misuse of fireworks

We will not investigate:

• Someone parking opposite your driveway
• Not being able to park outside your house
• Children playing in the street or communal areas or socially gathering unless they are swearing, or being intimidating, or causing damage

Please note we will try to resolve anti-social behaviour complaints through mutual cooperation of all parties, however when this is not possible enforcement action will be considered where appropriate.

Restorative Justice and Mediation Service

In some circumstances the Council may recommend the use of the Essex Restorative and Mediation Service, which is independently run by the PFCC (Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner) in Essex.

The Service enables those harmed by anti-social behaviour, conflict or even a criminal offence, to have contact with the person responsible, to try and find a way forward. The restorative processes use communication between people who have been harmed, and have caused harm, to allow them to work towards positive outcomes in a safe environment.

This is a free service, that is voluntary and both sides need to agree to the mediation to take place.  In addition, residents can also contact the Restorative Justice and Mediation Service directly for more information, or to ask them to arrange contact on your behalf.

For more information:

• Essex Restorative and Mediation Service website

Essex Police

If you’ve witnessed or been the victim of crime please report it to Essex Police.

Community trigger

If you have reported anti-social behaviour, you can ask us to review the case through the community trigger / anti-social behaviour (ASB) case review.