Council calls for anti-social behaviour records to be shared in aftermath of Lisburn murder
Following a recent murder Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council has called for anti-social behaviour records to be shared with housing associations.
A motion to lobby for a joint Stomont justice and communities action on anti-social behaviour (ASB) concerns, including “drug dealing neighbours” and “child predators”, received unanimous support from councillors.
The local authority expressed its “frustration” of repeat ASB offenders being rehoused amid claims of a lack of information sharing with the PSNI.
Bringing forward the motion, Lisburn North DUP councillor, Jonathan Craig said: “This council recognises the significant disruption and distress caused to local communities by a small number of residents who engage in persistent anti-social behaviours, resulting in considerable frustration and anger for those living nearby. “ASB can come in a wide variety of local annoyances to neighbours, but it can go as far as drink and drug abuse, violence and even further.
“It is a very serious issue that needs to be tackled by housing providers. I have seen and witnessed this for decades as an elected member of some 24 years.
“I have seen neighbours absolutely terrified of what is happening in the property next to them.
“They have been threatened, violence brought upon them, and in some cases forced to move out. All classified under ASB. It has a huge consequence for victims.
“Properties that are left destroyed and they are often left on the maintenance backlog for years vacant as housing associations struggle to get them repaired.
“I want everyone in this chamber to think of the impact on families I have seen down through the years.
"ASB ends up sadly in most cases with the victim moving out, because housing providers just haven’t got the power to deal with what is going on to deal with the atrocious and bad behaviour of these tenants.”
The motion has called for Minister for Communities Gordon Lyons to review the current housing allocation system and for the Justice Minister Naomi Long to highlight intentions to deal with ASB to support housing associations. It further calls on housing associations to enter into formal information sharing with the PSNI.
Lisburn North Independent councillor, Gary Hynds said: “Let me be clear, we’re not talking about isolated incidents.
“We’re talking about lives upended by a daily grind, the shattered windows that stay boarded up for weeks, the constant noise that robs people of sleep, the drug dens and party houses.
“From the fear gripping our elderly, to the worry that keeps children indoors. I’ve heard it first-hand of a single mum afraid to let her kids play outside amid threats from drug-dealing neighbours, endless parties, rows, and fights.
“Elderly residents who chose a peaceful retirement haven, now tormented by neighbours who wreck homes, cycle in and out of jail, and return to properties they treat with utter contempt. This is all completely unacceptable.
”This isn’t neighbourly disagreement, it’s a small minority of tenants unleashing chaos that fractures communities, breeds resentment, and erodes the trust that binds us.
“Our most vulnerable, already stretched thin, suffer the most.
“This isn’t about punishment, it’s about prevention. It’s about proclaiming peace for the law-abiding majority who’ve earned it through quiet contribution and shielding our children from predators who lurk in plain sight.”