Last week was Antisocial Behaviour Week, and I wanted to talk about some of the ways we are making Hackney a safer, more inclusive and peaceful place to live and work - and with the easing of pandemic restrictions - to socialise again.

Over the past 16 months we have all been spending much more time at home due to the pandemic regulations, and as result, there was an increase in complaints about noise and antisocial behaviour across the borough. 

We recognise the challenges of living closely together and spending more time at home, particularly for children who depend on play as a vital part of their development. Whilst some noise is just part of everyday life, such as children playing and people doing DIY within permitted hours, antisocial behaviour and noise nuisances, like persistent loud music, will not be tolerated in the borough. 

It is important to us in Hackney that people recognise that ASB is not low-level crime; it devastates the lives of victims and communities but by working together we can make our borough safer. 

Antisocial behaviour is a breach of tenancy terms, and we will always take action against it wherever we can, working alongside the police and other partners, when necessary. 

For Example, both our Market and Enforcement Officers have worked together with the police to undertake many hours of joint patrols at Ridley Road Market. This has seen a number of arrests for drug supply and possession and the issuing of a number of ASB Warnings. We are working with the landlord of Ridley Road Villas to reduce issues of ASB associated with the property. We have invested in CCTV cameras which are currently being installed in the Dalston area. 

.You can report noise nuisance to the Council at: hackney.gov.uk/noise; or by calling: 020 8356 4455.

I want to thank our expanded parks and enforcement teams for their work in Hackney’s parks during a time when antisocial behaviour was exacerbated by lockdown restrictions. They ensured the borough’s green spaces remained places for everyone to enjoy. Last summer, more than 300 fines were issued in London Fields alone for antisocial behaviour as people, many of whom were not from Hackney, travelled to London Fields in breach of the pandemic regulations.

Our parks are for all of the community - and during the pandemic they were a lifeline for local people, particularly those without green space of their own.

This summer, we expect heavy use of parks once more, as a place to relax, meet friends, exercise, and use play and sports facilities. To help manage additional litter during this time, the Council will be placing large commercial-style bins across its parks, and volunteers and park staff will complete regular litter picks. 

The Late-Night Levy was introduced by Hackney Council in November 2017 to raise funds for additional activities to prevent crime and disorder and to support the sustainability of night time economy businesses in the borough, after local evidence showed a clear correlation between the locations of late-night venues and crime. All venues who serve alcohol between midnight and 6am contribute towards the Late-Night Levy. The Late-Night Levy is collected by the Council, but at least 70 percent of revenue collected is paid to the police to contribute towards the control of late-night related crime and anti-social behaviour. The remaining 30 percent is used by the Council to further support night-time safety initiatives, such as CCTV.

We’re developing a new safety accreditation scheme for businesses - this will ask licensed premises to commit to a series of important benchmarks, including:


coronavirus safety
community
education and training
crime prevention
health and wellbeing
sustainability.


If you experience or witness any of the following, please call the police on 999 in emergencies or 101 in non-emergencies: 

Hate crimes - these are criminal offenses and they will not be tolerated in our borough. If you do not want to report to the Police, you can call Stop Hate UK for free, confidential support by calling 0800 138 1625 or visiting: www.stophateuk.org/talk-to-us/