COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF JOINT POLICING COMMITTEE
Friday, September 11, 2009
QUESTION NO.
QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor, TD
To ask the Manager to confirm progress being made in respect of ongoing anti-social behaviour in Council estates in Tallaght and will he make a statement.
REPLY:
The Council through Community Services and Housing Departments in particular has established strong links with local communities in West Tallaght and this is very important in combating vandalism and anti-social activity. This is re-enforced through the active participation with the local communities in the Community Safety Initiative of Tallaght West CDI programme.
Extensive pro-social behaviour improvement works have also been carried out through the Rapid Programme e.g. the installation of MUGAS, Playgrounds, etc which have proved to be an important focus for young people in West Tallaght who wish to engage in pro-social activity. Open space areas are also maintained to a high standard in West Tallaght and any damage caused through vandalism is repaired promptly to ensure the physical appearance of estates is not allowed to deteriorate. The Tallaght Leisure Centre – TLC – and the new Brookfield Youth and Family Community Centre together with all of the existing Community Centres also run numerous pro social behaviour programmes which compliment a large number of other programmes to combat Anti-social behaviour.
The Council’s Housing Estate Management Team continues to work in partnership with other agencies to respond to and deal proactively with incidents of anti social behaviour throughout the county. All enforcement powers available to the Council are fully employed in dealing with anti social activity.
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The Housing Estate Management Team continues to work with the Gardai through close liaison in combating anti social activity at a number of levels including the following:
Ø Joint Policing Committee
Ø Dublin Bus Community Fora
Ø Housing Clinics
Ø Community Liaison Meetings
Ø Case Conferences
Ø Regular meetings with Drug Squad and Community Gardai
Ø Support of Gardai in interviewing anti social tenants
Ø Community organized events e.g. Community Bonfires Family Days, Family/Youth Sports Events, Estate clean ups etc.
Community Liaison Meetings
Community Liaison Committees comprise of community representatives, the Gardai, Mediation Service and various representatives of the Council. The purpose of these committees is to ensure an integrated response to local service delivery. The Liaison Committee Initiative was established in 2007 with McUilliam and Daletree and is being extended to include Cushlawn Estate. Meetings are held monthly.
In 2008 an enforcement initiative was carried out in McUilliam Estate. The purpose of the initiative was to target the perpetrators of anti-social activity, to monitor occupancy of the rented housing stock, to check the maintenance condition of the houses and gardens, to address illegal dumping and littering. The initiative was carried out on an inter-agency basis and supported by local Gardai. Every household was visited by the Council’s Estate Management Team for the purpose of inviting expressions of interest in becoming involved in a representative Residents’ Group for the estate. Work in this area is continuing and the Anti Social Response Team is in contact with all agencies in the area.
Elimination of anti social black spots.
Work is ongoing regarding the elimination of anti-social black spots including such works as deemed necessary and as resources are available:
Ø Re-enforcement of walls
Ø Installation of railings
Ø Elimination of laneways
Ø Additional lighting within estates
Ø Stub wall construction
Ø Installation of anti-vandal mechanisms
Ø Re-instatement of areas
Ø Removal of areas prone to dumping
Ø Landscaping, design and development
Ø Ground cover redevelopment
Ø Footpath extension
Ø Enhancement of entrance areas (improve access)
Ø Improvements through Painting programmes
Ø Boundary treatments and fencing Improvements.
Staff Training
The Council’s Housing Estate Management Team continues to up skill itself in the interest of delivery of an effective housing estate management service which includes responding to incidents of anti-social behaviour. Examples of current training initiatives include Coaching/Copping On training which is being delivered by the West Tallaght Childhood Development Initiative. An important element of this training relates to best practice for interacting with children and young people which is particularly relevant for Estate Management staff.
Tenancy Training:
21 courses were conducted in 2008 with a further 9 to date in 2009. This course is now compulsory for all applicants for newly built homes. The format of the pre-tenancy training was revised in 2008 for the purpose of nurturing the concept of community development, capacity building and active citizenship and civic responsibility from the outset. Prospective tenants participating in the training are made aware of the valuable resource available through the Connect website. The focus of the tenancy training seminars is on providing an introduction to South Dublin, to promoting the benefits of living in the County and to creating awareness of what the local community has to offer. Other relevant agencies are also involved in the training including MABS, Gardai, TWCDI, Bernardos and HSE.
The Council is further developing a post-tenancy training after 6 – 8 weeks following the taking up of a new tenancy which will be introduced shortly and will involve all of the above agencies to assist the tenants into their new homes and community.
Policy
A subgroup of the Housing and Social Strategic Policy Committee was established for the purpose of reviewing the Anti Social Behaviour Policy document which was adopted by the Members in 2005. The Council’s Tenancy Agreement together with the Scheme of Letting Priorities, which was adopted by the Members and approved by the DoEHLG in 2006, is also included in the overall review. The purpose of the review is to draft an Anti Social Strategy which will, in conjunction with other agencies, strengthen the powers available to the Housing Authority to deal with Anti Social Activity.
The Strategy envisages a multi agency collaborative approach to dealing with anti social activity. As outlined above the strong liaisons needed to deliver this approach are already in place and are currently being further developed.