Stuart Anderson MP supports Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week 2025

Stuart Anderson MP has vowed to crack down on anti-social behaviour in rural areas, coinciding with the start of Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week. He has also teamed up with the Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion to promote SmartWater, a technology which provides greater protection to rural towns and villages.

It follows research from YouGov, which has found that nearly 1 in 5 people have considered moving home due to ASB while 1 in 10 have actually moved. Despite this, 57% of victims and witnessed said that they did not report the ASB to anybody.

40% of those who didn't previously report ASB said they would be more likely to report it if they received clear communication about how to make a report. Yet, only 7% of people have noticed information about what to do if they experience ASB.

The ASB Case Review is a powerful tool for victims of repeat anti-social behaviour. It gives people the right to request a multi-agency review of their case if they feel their complaints about ASB have not been dealt with.

Relevant agencies must come together to produce an action plan for ending the ASB, and victims have a right to be represented at the meeting and to share how the ASB is impacting them.

In light of these findings, Stuart has called on the government to make it as easy as possible to report incidents of anti-social behaviour. He has joined calls for a national, long-term and comprehensive communications campaign focused on what to do and how to access support.

As part of the campaign, Stuart has also joined forces with John to highlight the actions that local businesses and residents can take. This includes adopting technologies like SmartWater, which has a proven record of better protecting towns and villages.

Figures from the latest Performance Monitoring Report, published by West Mercia Police, found that residential burglary has seen a 28% reduction across the force area. Meanwhile, business and community burglary has seen a drop of 18%.

The figures also show that total recorded crime has been reduced by 11% over the past year in Shropshire. This has included reductions in residential, community, and business burglary.

The rollout is part of the Commissioner's 'West Mercia Safer Communities Plan', which aims to ensure that victims of high-volume crimes such as burglary are given appropriate support to prevent re-victimisation.

As part of this plan, the Commissioner funds the We Don't Buy Crime Team, which is using technology like SmartWater to better protect towns and villages - whilst giving advice to businesses in the region.

The week of action is organised by Resolve, the UK's leading ASB and community safety organisation.  It is a centre of excellence solely focused upon community safety and anti-social behaviour (ASB).

Resolve strongly believes that ASB should be treated as a priority. For ASB Awareness Week, it is bringing together people and organisations from across the country to take a stand and work together to make our communities safer.

Stuart is urging residents not to suffer in silence if they experience ASB. He has said that incidents can be reported to the Anti-Social Behaviour Team at Shropshire Council or directly to the Police directly, if people feel that they are at immediate risk or in danger.

Stuart Anderson MP said:

“Anti-social behaviour can have a devastating effect on both individuals and communities. So, I am fully supportive of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Week and its efforts to reduce crime and keep our communities safe. ASB is not low-level and is often a precursor to more serious crime. I am pleased to support the roll-out of SmartWater in South Shropshire. This technology has a proven record of deterring potential thieves. I am pleased to support the roll-out of this important initiative in South Shropshire.”

Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said:

"Residential burglary has seen a 28% reduction across the force area, while business and community burglary has seen a drop of 18%. In Shropshire, those figures have seen a year-to-date reduction of 21% and 23% respectively. These are significant drops, and I believe this is largely down to progress being made in the prevention space. I fund the We Don’t Buy Crime team which is using technology like SmartWater to greater protect towns and villages whilst giving advice to businesses."

Rebecca Bryant OBE , Chief Executive of Resolve, said:

“ASB is not low - level. It can have a devastating and long - lasting im pact on individuals and communities and often escalates to increasingly harmful behaviour.  We are delighted that Stuart Anderson MP is backing this vital campaign. It is only through strong local partnerships that we can meet the growing challenge of ASB and ensure people feel safe where they live.”