Emma has criticised the Government for weakening powers to tackle anti social behaviour in its White Paper published today on the subject.

Speaking in Parliament ahead of the report’s publication, Emma Reynolds asked the Home Secretary to “explain to my constituents why the Government are weakening powers to tackle antisocial behaviour.”

In the Government’s white paper, Anti Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) are to be dropped in favour of a new system whereby Anti Social Behaviour will only be investigated by police following three complaints from one household or five complaints from different households.

Emma also expressed concern that breaking the Government’s replacement for ASBOs will not result in a criminal record for the offender.

Emma said: “Anti social behaviour is an issue which constituents contact me about week in week out.

“Everyone should be free to live without intimidation or nuisance from anti social behaviour and the Government must keep strong measures in place to prevent this. It should not take three separate complaints, or five different households complaining, before something is done.

“It is also a kick in the teeth for victims of anti-social behaviour that breaching one of the new antisocial behaviour orders will no longer result in a criminal record.”