Nottingham City Council’s leader has vowed to tackle aggressive and anti-social behaviour in the city.
Councillor Neghat Kahn was asked to outline what actions the council will take to address these issues during the Annual General Meeting on Monday (May 12).
Councillor Samina Riaz said that there have been increasing reports of aggressive begging and anti-social behaviour in the city by residents, visitors and local businesses.
And she asked Cllr Kahn what actions the City Council is taking to ensure those affected receive appropriate support and reassurance.
In response, Cllr Kahn said: “We are absolutely committed to addressing these issues head-on while also supporting vulnerable individuals, and making meaningful and lasting change.
“It’s clear that no one agency can tackle this alone.”
Cllr Kahn added that the council continues to work alongside Nottinghamshire Police, business partners, local universities and voluntary organisations to improve the city-wide issue.
She said that their plan is to tackle immediate concerns and long-term causes in a joint approach which is both ‘strategic’ and ‘operational’.
These strategies are encompassed in the wider ‘Love Your City Centre’ campaign which aims to address littering and safety issues across Nottingham, and follows on from the previously successful ‘Love Your Streets’ campaign earlier in the year.
Cllr Kahn added that these schemes also align with the national Home Office Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.
She said: “Among the measures already underway are high visibility patrols by police and our neighbourhood safety officers, increased fixed penalty notices for offences such as street drinking or public urination, targeted CCTV deployment to hotspot areas, new signage to help deter repeat offending.”
She added that ‘days of action’ will also be put in place, with the first happening in Hockley on Friday, May 23.
This will target aggressive begging, rough sleeping and other associated behaviours.
Alongside all other measures, Cllr Kahn said the council were ‘expediting’ the Public Space Protection Order, which will increase the council’s ability to intervene and improve the levels of aggressive and anti-social behaviour in the city, including drug use and aggressive begging.
Cllr Kahn said the council’s approach will support and protect all residents, businesses and visitors.
She said: “This is not about criminalising poverty.
“It is about protecting the public realm, supporting those in genuine need and disrupting behaviours that threaten safety or exploit compassion.”
