HomeRoles and responsibilities
We have developed action plans for each of the nine areas targeted by the Safer Neighbourhood Antisocial Behaviour Programme.These have been designed with community groups and local residents and show what we plan to do in each area to reduce antisocial behaviour (ASB).
We have also put together an agreement, or special contract, which outlines how the Safer Neighbourhood Antisocial Behaviour Programme works.
It shows how the council, other agencies and residents and communities will work together to tackle ASB and explains what our roles and responsibilities are.
It involves input from:
- the council (including our antisocial behaviour co-ordinator, park managers and rangers, good relations, community services and community safety officers and staff from our Regulatory Services team)
- local residents
- community groups
- Police Service of Northern Ireland
- Belfast Education and Library Board
- Northern Ireland Fire Service
- Northern Ireland Housing Executive
- Youth Justice Agency
- voluntary agencies
- friends' groups for parks.
Roles and responsibilities include:
Belfast City Council
We agree to:- make our parks and leisure facilities safer by working with local residents and partner agencies, reducing ASB and targeting problem areas
- maintain and manage ASB in our parks and leisure centres
- enforce park bye-laws and take further action where possible
- review and monitor all our action plans, together with residents, community groups and partner agencies, to make sure they meet the needs of local areas
- feed back information to local residents and community groups who helped to develop the action plans
- respond to reports of ASB and feed back any necessary information when we are legally allowed to
- take further action and prosecute cases of ASB when possible
- ask local residents and park and leisure centre users to report ASB
- respect and protect the identity of those who choose to remain anonymous when reporting ASB
- feed back information to local residents and community groups about any actions we take to reduce ASB through the media, leaflets or personal contact
- visit local schools and let young people know about the consequences of ASB
- inform young people about the Safer Neighbourhood Antisocial Behaviour Programme and promote respect and acceptable behaviour in our parks and leisure centres
- support and provide opportunities for education, awareness and other diversionary activities in our facilities
- provide support to groups or individuals working with young people to promote positive behaviour and citizenship
- encourage young people to take part in meetings so their views are represented
- refer young people to other relevant services and activities when needed
- support local residents and people who use our parks and leisure centres
- provide advice to local businesses about what they can do to reduce ASB. For example, service stations can refuse to sell fuel to young people for use in scramblers and quads and taxi companies can refuse to deliver alcohol orders to parks and leisure centres.
Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
As part of the Safer Neighbourhood Antisocial Behaviour Programme, the PSNI have agreed to:- work with local residents and partner agencies to reduce ASB and target problem areas in parks and leisure centres
- fulfil their role in each of our nine action plans
- respond to calls and reports of ASB in parks and leisure centres
- pass on details of ASB incidents in parks and leisure centres to our ASB co-ordinator
- investigate ASB incidents thoroughly and give feed back in an agreed way
- work with council staff on joint initiatives designed to curb ASB
- maintain a Neighbourhood Policing Team which acts as a local contact for community policing issues
- take positive action against those who repeatedly take part in ASB
- listen to the concerns of local residents and provide updates and regular feed back through regular meetings with the community
- provide support to groups or individuals working with young people to promote positive behaviour and citizenship
- encourage young people to take part in meetings so their views are represented
- refer young people to other relevant services and activities when needed.
Other groups and agencies
The agreement is also dependent on community and voluntary groups, local residents and parents who receive warning letters about their children and ASB agreeing to:- talk to the council, PSNI and other agencies about ASB and other concerns
- get to know local council and PSNI officers
- take responsibility for children and take all reasonable steps to know where they are, who they are with and what they are doing
- stick to and encourage others to stick to park bye-laws
- fulfil commitments set out in our action plans for diversionary activities, education and awareness of ASB issues
- encourage young people to take part in meetings so their views are represented
- not encourage or allow underage drinking
- respect neighbours, other residents and those who use our parks and leisure centres
- report incidents of ASB and encourage others to do the same.
