Community Trigger

Last Updated: 6 September 2023

If someone has reported antisocial behaviour but no action has been taken, they will be able to tell us about it under the Community Trigger.

Antisocial behaviour (ASB) is behaviour that has caused or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person.

The reporting threshold is:

• complainants have reported three or more incidents relating to the same problem in the past six months to the Council, Police or their Registered Social Landlord, and no action has been taken
• different complainants have made five reports about the same problem in the past six months to the Council, Police or their Registered Social Landlord and no action has been taken
• one incident or crime motivated by hate on the basis of protected characteristics (race, sexual orientation, gender, disability etc) in the last three months and no action has been taken

If no action is taken:

• the reported problems have not been acknowledged, that is: no one contacted the customer to advise what action would be taken
• the reported problems have not been appropriately investigated
• the customers vulnerability and/or the potential for harm has not been considered and this has affected potential service delivery
• no action has been taken because information has not been shared between partners and this has affected potential service delivery

What would not be suitable for a Community Trigger

• if someone has reported antisocial behaviour and received a service but the problems are ongoing
• complaints that are thought to be prejudicial, discriminatory, malicious, unreasonable, vexatious or frivolous

They will be advised to contact the agency they are working with to tell them what is happening.

If someone has reported antisocial behaviour and received a service but they’re unhappy with the service received or action taken then they will be asked to submit a complaint under the agency’s complaints procedures.

If someone has reported complaints of ASB that are over six months old these will not activate a Community Trigger.

If someone does not report the ASB within one month of the ASB taking place this cannot be used to activate a Community Trigger.

Community Trigger Process

1. Outline the incidents which have occurred and which you believe meet the Community Trigger definition by completing the community trigger form (DOC 3MB / 12 pages).
2. Send completed form to customer.services@southlakeland.gov.uk.
3. You will receive an acknowledgment within two working days.
4. Designated officers from South Lakeland District Council, Cumbria Constabulary, Housing Providers and the Clinical Commissioning Group will review your request to determine whether the trigger criteria are met.
5. The reporting person may be contacted to provide further information which may be shared between agencies. You will be notified within 10 days of whether the Trigger Criteria have been met.
6. If the Trigger Criteria have been met, within ten working days a panel review date will be set. The Community Trigger Panel will include representatives of the agencies referred to above, together with and other relevant representatives, for example, Victim Support, a Community Representative, the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office etc. It will be chaired by an independent partner (the Community Safety Partnership Chair).The panel review will consider all of the actions already taken and agree a response.
7. A designated officer will feedback the response and recommendations to the reporting person within five working days.
8. If the reporting person is unhappy or disagrees with the review panel response, they can request an appeal of the decision by a neighbouring review panel (still within Cumbria).
9. An Appeal Panel will meet within 10 working day of the appeal being received, and the customer informed of the Appeal Review outcome.