Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend has vowed to root out anti-social behaviour in Surrey after residents revealed that littering, speeding and fly-tipping are among their biggest issues in a wide-ranging new survey.
More than half of the 1,325 respondents to the survey, created by the county’s Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) and Community Harm Reduction Partnership Delivery Group, said that anti-social driving, including speeding and inconsiderate parking, were the most significant issues in their area.
However, there was an increase in residents’ satisfaction with their area, with more respondents reporting that their communities are better places to live than they were a year ago.
Close to a third of respondents said they had been personally affected by ASB in the last year – and almost half said they had witnessed ASB in their area.
An average of 40 per cent of residents selected littering, inconsiderate dog ownership and fly-tipping as top concerns in their area.
Some 36 per cent chose drug-taking as a key issue.
Since the previous survey, which took place in 2023, more residents said they’d feel confident in who to contact about ASB in their community.
A majority of respondents said they’d contact Surrey Police or their local council in the first instance.
However, fewer people knew about the ASB Case Review – previously known as the Community Trigger – which specifically deals with persistent cases of ASB.
A Review can be requested if a resident feels that a complaint made about the same issue three or more times in a six-month period has not been satisfactorily resolved. The process provides a powerful way to bring together different agencies for a better solution.
Residents’ views were shared with the Partnership, which includes Surrey Police, Surrey County Council, local councils, health, housing and support services, and is actively supported by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.
Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “The impact that anti-social behaviour can have on individuals is huge.
“I’m committed to ensuring residents feel safe where they live. That is why it is vital that we keep asking for feedback from our communities to target activity, such as extra police visibility or improvements to victim support, where it can have the greatest impact to improve people’s lives.
“The data from this survey is valuable and my office will continue to work closely with Surrey Police and partners to act on the areas that you’ve told us are most important to reducing ASB in Surrey.”
Joanna Grimshaw, Head of ASB and Partnerships at Surrey Police, said: “Listening to victims’ experiences is vital if we are to understand what we can do as a partnership to make people feel safe and supported.
“The results of this year’s survey will help us to look at what needs to be done in the coming year to enhance our work where they feel they are not being listened to, ensure victims feel confident to report incidents and know how to activate an ASB Case Review.”
Together with Surrey Police, Lisa’s Office plays a key role in the overall response to ASB in Surrey, providing a mix of visible policing, community safety initiatives and funding for local services.
In the last four years, the Office of the Commissioner has secured close to £2m in Safer Streets funding from the Home Office. The funding has paid for bespoke projects by the police and local councils to boost safety in seven out of the eleven boroughs in Surrey.
Since April, Surrey Police has also introduced additional targeted, highly visible patrols to tackle areas in the county experiencing the most incidents of ASB and violence, after the Government made £1m available as part of a nation-wide programme of ‘hotspot’ policing.
To learn more about reporting different kinds of anti-social behaviour in Surrey or to request a review of an anti-social behaviour report, visit https://www.healthysurrey.org.uk/community-safety/asb
Rowdy behaviour, drug use, anti-social use of vehicles, anti-social drinking and criminal damage are examples of ASB and crime that should be reported to Surrey Police at surrey.police.uk, by calling 101 or sending a direct message on official Surrey Police social media channels.