Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen has welcomed the introduction of tough new powers today (Monday 26th October) to tackle ASB and bring greater redress for victims of persistent problems.

Under the Crime and Policing Act 2026, new Respect Orders will come into force today for adults aged 18 and over across England and Wales.

Replacing civil anti-social behaviour (ASB) injunctions, the orders allow police, councils and social housing providers to ban repeat offenders from specific areas or from drinking in public spaces while making the breach of an order a criminal offence.

Other key changes taking effect relate to Anti-Social Behaviour Case Reviews, previously known as the Community Trigger, which empower victims of persistent ASB with the right to demand action where they feel that their problems have not been effectively dealt with.

Under the new rules, victims gain the formal right to ask their PCC or Local Policing Body to review decisions including where agencies have ruled that the circumstances do not meet the threshold to launch a ASB Case Review or where victims remain dissatisfied after a review is completed.

In other measures relating to ASB Case Reviews, PCCs have heightened responsibilities to scrutinise and track cases and to hold community safety partners to account for the way they are handled.

Victims must also be consulted on action plans before they are finalised and invited to share impact statements or attend initial review meetings while also receiving their rights to support under the Victims’ Code.

ASB has been prioritised by the PCC since she was first elected in 2021 with the Commissioner’s approach drawing wide national acclaim.

She is believed to have been the first PCC in the country to offer victims of ASB the opportunity to attend the case review and provide statements of the harm they have endured – long before it became a statutory duty.

The Commissioner was also the first to appoint an Anti-Social Behaviour Champion to support victims and lead vital research into the victim’s journey throughout the justice system.

In more recent changes, the PCC recruited a dedicated Review Coordinator from her own budget to provide victims with a single point of contact through their case and the appointment of two volunteer ASB case review chairs alongside the implementation of a dedicated case management system to enable staff to track progress more efficiently.

She also supported the introduction of a new recording tool for ASB incidents within the force and funded the re-launch of the Don’t Suffer in Silence campaign this summer, focusing on raising awareness of how to report ASB in rural areas of the county.

Welcoming the landmark legislation, Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen said: “I strongly welcome the new measures which are urgently needed. They recognise the enormity of ASB on mental and physical wellbeing and provide reassurance to communities that police and partners are exhausting all efforts to protect them from this appalling behaviour.

“ASB remains a top concern for our communities. For too long, victims have been forced to endure further anxiety and distress as complaints have passed between departments with no action and no redress. Now, agencies will be legally bound to handle complaints with greater care, compassion and efficiency, ending the postcode lottery of support, while victims have a clear route to challenge inadequacy.

“While I am proud that Durham implemented many of these changes ahead of these new rules, it is not enough. We can always do more – with the public’s help. I would appeal to all residents and businesses to keep on reporting ASB, so we can remain one step ahead and deliver the meaningful solutions we need to help residents feel and be safer.”

The Crime and Policing Act 2026 raises the upper limit for Fixed Penalty Notices from £100 to £500 for breaching a Community Protection Notice (CPN) or a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO).

Additionally, registered social housing providers can now independently issue closure notices and pursue closer orders for properties they own or manage rather than depending on the police or local councils.