After a wide consultation and review of the national antisocial behaviour policy the Scottish Government has now published Promoting Positive Outcomes: Working Together to Prevent Antisocial Behaviour in Scotland.  

Emphasis is being placed on preventing antisocial behaviour through meaningful community engagement.  They have a shared vision to move away from the narrow focus on enforcement action towards addressing the root causes of the problem. This shift means that they will be placing more emphasis on early and effective intervention to tackle antisocial behaviour using the four pillars, prevention, integration, engagement and communication.  So issues such as substance misuse, poverty and creating more choices and chances for people to make a positive contribution to society will be addressed.  This marks a significant shift in policy away from simplistic quick-fixes towards smarter sustainable solutions for communities.

The Scottish Government have been consulting with key stakeholders on amendments to the ASB 2004 Act to help support local partners.  This includes the requirement that, at the time of applying for an ASBO landlords must demonstrate where the circumstances of the case require it, that an adequate support package has been offered to the offender.  There is a recognition that enforcement measures only provide short term relief and support measures need to be in place to address the underlying causes of anti social behaviour.

Some of the amendments which are being reviewed are:

·       Changes to the list of offences eligible for FIX Penalty Notices (FPNs)

·       Simplifying Seizure of Vehicle powers and extending them to cover stationary vehicles

·       Extending Closure Order powers to local authorities

Another area they are looking at is high hedges and nuisance vegetation as this is an area that can spark disputes. The consultation on this will end in January 2010 with a plan and suggested legislative changes progressed by end February 2010.

Taking this forward the Scottish Community Safety Network will be developing a good practice database together with the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research.  This will be a national support framework which will include guidance for practitioners with a directory of diversionary activities with links to useful websites as a way to develop good practice to ensure early and effective intervention. The implementation plan will be produced by end of December with phased implementation through to June 2010. 

It has also been established that there is a need to support practitioners to engage with young people.  It is proposed that there will be a knowledge database developed with guidance on communicating and engaging with young people.  This will be based on social marketing research currently being undertaken and with guidance on the successful strategies employed.  A communication steering group chaired by Youth Link will identify ways to highlight the many positive contributions young people can make in their communities, using role models and mentors to help young people make positive contributions.

At the same time a new voluntary performance framework which will be developed by the Community Safety Unit and partners.  This framework places an emphasis on partnership working to bring together information, guidance and support.  Eight modules giving guidance are to be produced by end of November 2009 with a further module on how to build trust and develop confidence within partnerships so they can share information and support the integration of services will be ready by the end December. 

COSLA will be leading on two initiatives, participatory budgeting pilots and training for elected members.  Up to 5 pilot participatory projects will be given match funding, the objects of these pilots will be to:

·        Support community cohesion by bring diverse people together

·        Encourage partnership between local people, elected members and council officials

·        Promote empowerment within communities and individuals

·        Promote active citizenship and create better public services

·        Promote capacity building and community development

A module is to be developed for Elected Members by the end of December which will focus on:

·        The roles that Elected Members carry out as community leaders, champions and advocates

·        How they can help to build community leadership in neighbourhoods and wards

·        key skills to engage communities

After consultation on a range of Policy Position Statements, technical guidance on the procedure for and the drafting of Criminal ASBOs is to be produced however, this has not to be viewed as promotion of the use of criminal ASBOs.

The importance of evaluation and establishing a culture where evaluation is used and valued at all times to develop better programmes, projects and processes will be used to find out about what works and what doesn’t to tackle ASB.  The Community Safety Unit supported by Justice Analytical Services Division in collaboration with stakeholders will produce a set of shared evaluation principles that can be applied to all community safety projects, programmes and processes.

A specialist supplier will be set up by the end of March 2010 and the development of the methodologies tools and guidance materials will be completed in 2010. Identification of potential learning sites where these methodologies will be tested out will commence immediately and will be ongoing. The scoping and definition of a multi-level learning site model and criteria for participation will be ready by end of November 2009.

The Community Warden’s network will still be supported by the Scottish Government and a review of how warden services are structured within each local authority and the benefits this brings will be conducted. 

By the end of 2009 there will also be a short guide produced on Anti Social behaviour which will contain information of particular relevance to communities, a separate version will be produced for young people.

More information on the new framework can be downloaded from the Government website www.scotland.gov.uk  which includes examples of good practice from all over Scotland.