Popular drug to be banned as part of plan to tackle anti-social behaviour blighting Milton Keynes

Local Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Barber, has welcomed a government plan to stamp out anti-social behaviour and ban a popular drug on the streets of Milton Keynes and elsewhere.

The new ‘Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan’ will enforce stronger punishments for perpetrators, tackle problem tenants and make those who commit anti-social behaviour repair the damage they have inflicted on victims and communities.

The government is imposing a complete ban on nitrous-oxide, often known as laughing gas. The use of this is a common complaint of residents in MK, where empty cannisters littler parks and streets, and this move will give the police the power to tackle the problem.

Mr Barber said: “The impact of anti-social behaviour can be devastating to communities, depriving residents of the right to live without fear.

“As part of my upcoming Crimefighters strategy, the public will see a significant increase in neighbourhood policing, focussed on crime prevention. The new powers set out this week will help to make the police more proactive.”

"The plan provides Police and Crime Commissioners more tools to help tackle the blight of anti-social behaviour, working in partnership with local councils and other partners including housing associations.”

Introducing the new measures, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “It is simply unacceptable that anyone should have to live in fear of intimidation from their neighbours or gangs terrorising their streets; that parks and children’s play areas should be littered with empty nitrous oxide canisters; that women and girls should feel unsafe walking alone at night; or that businesses and shops should close down because town centres are no longer places that people want to be. That is not the kind of community anyone wants, and it is not the kind of country we are.”

From next year there an approach called Immediate Justice to make perpetrators repair the damage they have done. They will be forced to pick up litter, wash police cars or clean up graffiti within as little as 48 hours of being caught.

There will be a “zero tolerance” approach to drugs and more offenders will be drug tested on arrest.

The government will also make it easier to evict tenants who are “persistently disrespectful and disruptive” to their neighbours.

To restore public trust, they will launch a new digital tool for people to report anti-social behaviour and will take a tougher approach in holding the police and other agencies to account.

Finally, the government plans to give the police and other agencies the tools they need to act and restore pride in communities.

The prime minister said: “We will increase the amount for on-the-spot fines for litter, graffiti and fly-tipping and seek to increase their use. Councils will be given new funding to restore local parks and greater powers to revive their high streets by bringing empty shops back into use. And we will provide more help for young people to find positive ways to focus their energies, including one million extra hours of youth support in hotspot areas.”

The new plan will start in 10 places in the UK this year, before being expanded across England and Wales in 2024.