New way to PinPoint anti-social behaviour
A new online tool that allows residents to log anti-social behaviour issues in Durham city centre has been launched.
The tool – known as PinPoint – has been created by the City of Durham Parish Council, in partnership with Durham Students’ Union, as a means of mapping issues of latenight noise disturbance and other forms of anti-social behaviour.
It has been designed to aid a better understanding of anti-social behaviour issues within Durham, so that bodies such as the parish council can more effectively tackle and challenge this behaviour.
It comes after videos emerged on social media of people lying drunk in the streets, while there have been reports of people stripping and urinating in phone boxes.
Residents will be able to share experiences on the tool whether they were the target of, or witness to, the incident, and regardless of whether they formally report it.
But residents are being reminded they will not be formally reporting the incident to any statutory bodies such as the police or emergency services. This should not replace a resident calling 999 if they need emergency assistance, nor 101 in order to log their complaint with the relevant authorities.
Details of appropriate authorities and other support services are included with this tool.
Chairwoman of the City of Durham Parish Council environment committee, councillor Victoria Ashfield, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Durham Students’ Union on the creation of this new tool.
“Late-night noise disturbance in particular is a regular source of complaints from our residents.
“This tool covers our parish only, not the whole of the county and we have already had very positive feedback from local residents about it.
“By logging the incident on PinPoint, residents are allowing the parish council and other bodies involved in the anti-social behaviour task force to make more informed decisions on where resources need to be targeted in Durham City to tackle anti-social behaviour once and for all.
“This does not and must not replace a resident contacting 101 for support or 999 in an emergency, we encourage residents to do this to ensure the matter is looked into by the police and others.”
Coun Ashfield added that an interactive map is also available on their website so the public can see what sort of issues are happening, and where.
She added: “A really important aspect of this tool is that it allows residents to rate the impact an incident has had on them and also offers them the opportunity to feedback what resolution they would like to see to an issue.
“This parish council is putting the victims of ASB first and allowing us to respond to these issues.”
Janet George, secretary of the Residents’ Association in Durham city, said: “PinPoint is another great idea from the parish council. It’s a simple, user-friendly way for residents to quickly demonstrate what is happening where they live.
“The Parish Council don’t tell us what they can’t do, they look at what they can do to help resolve this long-standing problem of night-time noise disturbance. Thank you to the parish council for their work in supporting residents”.
The tool is now live and available on the parish council’s website.