Lincoln Conservative Association

Karl M^cCartney, Lincoln’s Member of Parliament, said that for far too long anti-social behaviour has created havoc in communities across Lincoln. Research found there were more than 10,000 incidents a day in 2008-9 across England and Wales. In January this year there were 2224 reported incidents of anti-social behaviour across Lincolnshire. It is time now for a fresh approach that properly supports victims and helps the authorities to act quickly and effectively.

The current tools and powers created by the last Labour Government are too bureaucratic and do not work effectively against anti-social behaviour. Recent statistics show that more than 56 per cent of ASBOs issued in 2009 were breached, many more than once.

On 7 February the government launched a consultation setting out a series of proposals to tackle anti-social behaviour:

• Easier to use powers made available to the authorities.
• More streamlined system – replacing the current 18 formal powers with just 5.
• Real and meaningful penalties for perpetrators who breach the terms of their punishments
• Greater powers for communities and residents to make sure the authorities take action.

The five powers under consultation are:

• Community Triggers – local agencies will be compelled to take action if no action is taken after several people in the same neighbourhood have complained or one individual complains three times
• Criminal Behaviour Orders – issued by the courts after conviction, would ban an individual from certain activities or places. They would require them to address their behaviour, for example attending drug treatment programmes. A breach would see an individual face a maximum five year prison term;
• Crime Prevention Injunctions – designed to nip bad behaviour in the bud before it escalates. The injunction would carry a civil burden of proof, making it quicker and easier to obtain than previous tools. For adults, breach of the injunction could see you imprisoned or fined. For under-18s a breach could be dealt with through curfews, supervision or detention.
• Community Protection Orders – comprising one order for local authorities  to stop persistent environmental ASB like graffiti, neighbour noise or dog fouling; and another for police and local authorities to deal with more serious disorder and criminality in a specific place such as closing a property used for drug dealing; and
• Police ‘Direction’ powers – a power to direct any individual causing or likely to cause crime or disorder away from a particular place and to confiscate related items.

These proposals to reform the anti-social behaviour tools and powers are just one part of the government’s new approach to anti-social behaviour that includes:

• Directly-elected Police and Crime Commissioners to restore the link between police and the communities they serve
• Street level crime maps and local policing information that allow the public to see exactly where crime and ASB are  committed in their neighbourhood;
• A new approach for handling complaints of ASB that will be trialled in eight police forces. The new system for logging complaints will make it easier to share information, helping to quickly identify and protect vulnerable victims;
• Plans for social landlords to speed up eviction of tenants who commit persistent ASB, announced by the Housing Minister earlier this year; and
• Baroness Newlove’s work, the Government’s Champion for Active Safer Communities who is working to empower communities and drive up local activism.

Karl said: ‘I fully support this commitment from the government to fight back against anti-social behaviour with stream-lined but more effective powers, and real, meaningful penalties”.

‘Labour’s ASBOs totally failed to deal with the levels of disorder that we have witnessed across the City and the County. I was shocked on Monday to hear Vernon Coaker, shadow police minister, claim that under Labour ‘anti-social behaviour became less of a problem’. I think this shows just how out of touch Labour are with the real concerns of people in Lincoln’.

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Notes to editors

• Reported Anti-Social Behaviour Data by police force (police.uk, accessed 7 February 2011)

·         Vernon Coaker said that under Labour ‘anti-social behaviour became less of a problem’ (BBC News 24, 7 February 2011).

·         ASBO Breach rate in 2009. ‘The breach rate for asbos has risen, from less than 40 per cent in 2003 to 56 per cent by the end of 2009, with 41 per cent breached more than once’(The Guardian, 30 January 2011).

·         10,000 Incidents of Anti-Social Behaviour Every Day. In 2008-09, 3.7m incidents of anti-social behaviour were recorded by the police in England and Wales, equivalent to over 10,000 every day (Hansard, 13 October 2009, Col. 836WA).

·         Conservative Party Manifesto: ‘We will fight back against the crime and anti-social behaviour that blights our communities’ (Invitation to Join the Government of Britain, 2010, p. 66)

Measures under consideration include:

• community triggers where local agencies will be compelled to take action if several people in the same neighbourhood have complained and no action had been taken; or the behaviour in question has been reported to the authorities by an individual three times, and no action had been take
• criminal behaviour orders — issued by the courts after conviction, the order would ban an individual from certain activities or places and require them to address their behaviour for example attending drug treatment programmes. A breach would see an individual face a maximum five year prison term
• crime prevention injunctions – designed to nip bad behaviour in the bud before it escalates. The injunction would carry a civil burden of proof, making it quicker and easier to obtain than previous tools. For adults, breach of the injunction could see you imprisoned or fined. For under-18s a breach could be dealt with through curfews, supervision or detention
• community protection orders – comprising one order for local authorities to stop persistent environmental ASB like graffiti, neighbour noise or dog fouling; and another for police and local authorities to deal with more serious disorder and criminality in a specific place such as closing a property used for drug dealing
• police ‘direction’ powers — a power to direct any individual causing or likely to cause crime or disorder away from a particular place and to confiscate related items

·         Subject to consultation the new tools will replace 18 of the formal powers currently available. They will be more flexible, quicker to obtain and less bureaucratic for police, courts and other local agencies, making it easier to deal with persistent offenders (Home Office Press Release, 7 February 2011).

Useful quotes:

·         Theresa May, Home Secretary, said: ‘By calling it anti-social behaviour, it made it seem less important and less of a crime. Part of the problem is that people feel they are reporting things that are wrong but they are not seeing any action’ (Daily Mail, 7 May 2011).

·         Louise Casey, commissioner for victims and witnesses, said: ‘In my role as victims’ commissioner I have seen first hand the powerlessness and despair that victims often feel when they are targeted again and again by anti-social and criminal behaviour. So I am heartened by the announcement of the new proposals today that put tough enforcement action against perpetrators at the centre’ (Home Office Press Release, 7 February 2011)

·         Louise Casey, commissioner for victims and witnesses, said: ‘I am pleased that the message being sent out from government today is that there is no excuse for police and councils to stand by and allow their communities to suffer from lawless, mindless thuggery that makes people’s lives unbearable’ (Home Office Press Release, 7 February 2011)

·         James Brokenshire, Crime Prevention Minister, said: ‘For too long anti-social behaviour has wreaked havoc in our communities and ruined decent people’s lives. ‘It is time for a new approach that better supports victims and makes it easier for the authorities to take fast, effective action’ (Home Office Press Release, 7 February 2011).

·         James Brokenshire, Crime Prevention Minister, said: ‘This consultation sets out a how we propose to tackle this stubborn problem, ensuring the most vulnerable in our communities are protected from the cowards and bullies who carry on in such an offensive manner. It is important there is no let-up — local areas must continue to use the most appropriate powers available to them’ (Home Office Press Release, 7 February 2011).

For further information, please contact Karl M^cCartney MP at karl.mccartney.mp@parliament.uk

Small Loans for Business, a projected financed in part by the European Union, provides loans to individuals, to support good business ideas that could be difficult to fund through other means. Loans of £3,000 – £20,000 can be used to turn ideas into a new business or grow an existing business if they can raise/contribute a minimum 30% of the value of the loan.

Loans can be used to:

• Secure services
• Purchase equipment
• Meet a shortfall in funding for specific new projects (although not existing running costs)

Repayments are made over a period of between one and five years. Interest will be charged at 10.25% for the period of the loan. Loans are discretionary and should not be seen as guaranteed.

To qualify for Small Loans for Business the basic criteria is: (for full requirements see application form)

·         Applicants must be aged 18 years or over

• The applicant must have resided in or have had a business in the East Midlands for more than 18 months and have leave to remain in the UK
• The business must be located in the East Midlands
• The business must comply with all statutory, regulatory and legal requirements
• The business must demonstrate either job creation or safeguarding
• The viability of the business or proposition must be demonstrated
• A minimum contribution of 30% is required from you where the loan is being used to meet any shortfall in your funding requirements.

There are also some exclusion which apply to Small Loans for Business as assistance will not be given to:

·         Businesses involved with religion, pornography, gambling, money lending, property purchases or property development

·         Fund the purchase of cars, except in the case of commercial vehicles deemed to be essential to the business. Leasing is the preferred route for all vehicle purchases

·         Applicants who already have access to sufficient funding for their venture

·         Applicants who do not have leave to remain in the UK.

Karl said, “Over 500,000 people start up their own business every year and, collectively, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for 99.9 per cent of all enterprises.  However, according to the Bank of England the stock of lending to UK businesses fell in the three months to November 2010.  In these very difficult economic times, it is particularly important that enterprise is nurtured and encouraged, and the ‘Small Loans for Business’ project is an important attempt to do just that.  I would certainly encourage all budding entrepreneurs and established businesses in Lincoln to enquire about the scheme by visiting the East Midlands Development Agency’s website and consider applying for funding.

“We must do everything to ensure that Britain is open for business.”

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Please apply by calling 0845 602 7355 to request an application form or by downloading a form from the Internet at www.emda.org.uk/smallloans

For further information, please contact Karl M^cCartney MP at karl.mccartney.mp@parliament.uk