Anti-social council house tenants could face eviction thanks to a new partnership between police and public bodies in Witham.

The Witham Police Community Safety Tasking Group is a forum involving the police, council departments such as housing, youth workers and other bodies that can pinpoint "hot spots" of crime and anti-social behaviour.

Its aim is to identify problem areas in the town that affect more than one agency and act together to try and resolve them.

The Government has encouraged the setting up of such groups in the recent Crime and Disorder Act.

Organisers hope the group will grow to include more bodies that can have an impact on "quality of life" matters and that it can take advice from businesses and residents.

Police were unable to reveal precise details of possible areas for action that the group had discussed on security grounds.

But they confirmed it could lead to Braintree Council's housing department taking action against tenants who make their neighbours' life a misery, or who breach other conditions of their lease.

Published Friday August 9, 2002

Brought to you by the Evening Gazette