Councils respond to 2011/2012 Crime Survey

LGA media release 19 July 2012

Responding to the latest crime figures released by the Office for National Statistics today, Cllr Mehboob Khan, Chairman of the LGA's Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said:

"These figures show that there were 2.7 million recorded incidents of anti-social behaviour last year. Repeated incidents of anti-social behaviour can be corrosive and undermine the very fabric of communities. 

"Councils know that nuisance behaviour is often the top cause of concern for people in their neighbourhood and work tirelessly to ensure a good quality of life for all their residents. Their work to tackle anti-social behaviour and to realise the ambition of turning round the lives of 120,000 most troubled families, needs agencies to join up. The police, schools, social services and other parts of the public sector all have a part to play. This is the only way to tackle the root causes of inconsiderate and unacceptable behaviour which can make people's lives a misery.

"When police and crime commissioners take office in November, with a democratic mandate to make the police force accountable to the public, they will be looking to ensure that police build on the success of their joint work with councils to rid local areas of antisocial behaviour.

"These statistics also reveal a continuing increase in police recorded figures of 'other thefts', with the recent surge in metal stolen likely to be a significant factor. Councils have long been calling for Government to introduce a proper licensing system to hold scrapyards to account. The sooner the Scrap Metal Dealers Bill, currently making its way through Parliament, becomes law, the sooner councils will be able to put a stop to stolen metal so easily finding its way into scrapyards."

ends

Author: LGA Media Office
Contact: LGA Media Office, Telephone: 020 7664 3333
 

Notes to editors

1. The full Office for National Statistics report can be found here:

Statistical bulletin: Crime in England and Wales, Quarterly First Release to March 2012

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17 August 2012