Anti-Social Behaviour and Crime
Mid Sussex is a safe place to live and work. However crime and anti-social behaviour does happen.
How do I report a crime?
If the crime is in progress - phone the Police straightaway:
Tel: 999
If the matter is not urgent you can report the incident to Sussex Police:
Tel: 101
Online: Report a crime online
Report anti-social behaviour
The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 defines anti-social behaviour as acting in a manner that has "caused or was likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one or more persons not of the same household" as the perpetrator.
Noise
For further information please see our Noise Issues page
Anti-social driving
Operation Crackdown has been created to make our roads safer and our neighbourhoods a better place to live.
Report anti-social driving
Operation Crackdown
Tel: 01243-642222
Online: Report anti-social driving
Domestic abuse
Please see our domestic abuse page.
Other reporting
Enforcement Powers
Fixed Penalty Notices
Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN/s) have been created under the Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act 2005 and the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Several officers will be authorised to issue a FPN on the spot.
If an officer witnesses an offence, they can approach the person, show their ID and explain their powers. The officer will explain the offence and can issue a Fixed Penalty Notice ticket. In any case, FPNs can also be sent in the post, as the person can be identified using the license plate of the vehicle.
Fixed Penalty Notices cover:
Littering is an offence and we like to keep Mid Sussex as clean as possible.
Littering comes in many forms including:
- Cigarette butts
- Chewing gum
- Leaving litter on the street
- Fly-tipping or commercial retailer’s waste not being disposed of properly
To transport waste you need to be registered with the Environment Agency if you do any of the below as part of your business:
- transport waste
- buy, sell or dispose of waste
- arrange for someone else to buy, sell or dispose of waste
Register for a waste carriers licence
If you are moving waste for someone else, you need to get a Duty of Care note (Waste Transfer Note).
Although some graffiti can look nice unfortunately most graffiti is not and it is an offence if done without the owner’s permission. It is the duty of the Town and Parish Councils to remove unwanted graffiti, you can report graffiti through our online form.
In order to reduce the amount of dog fouling in Mid Sussex, owners are required to clean up their dogs' mess. This order applies to all District Council owned or managed recreational and other public land, car parks and all highway areas within a 40mph speed restriction. Find out more on our Park Rangers page.
To prevent people or the dogs themselves being injured as a result of sharing activity space, dogs are excluded from all fenced children's play areas and fenced recreational areas such as tennis courts, bowling greens, and multi activity areas owned by Mid Sussex District Council.
In order to stop a loose dog disrupting sporting or community events or disturbing local wildlife, dogs must be placed on a lead if requested to do so by a Council officer.
This order applies to land on which formal sports and community events regularly take place, and all designated conservation sites and local nature reserves.
The number of dogs one person can take onto Council nature reserves or selected large parks is restricted to six.
If you pay a Fixed Penalty within ten (10) days, the amount will be reduced. If you fail to pay, the Council will take you to court, which could result in a fine.
|
Offence |
Paid within 10 days |
Paid within 14 days |
Maximum penalty conviction |
|
Littering |
£50 |
£75 |
£ 1,000 or up to £50,000 |
|
Not clearing litter away from the street |
£60 |
£100 |
£2,500 |
|
Not being able to show the right papers for transporting waste |
£180 |
£300 |
£5,000 (or, on indictment, an unlimited fine) |
|
Not having the authority to transport waste |
£180 |
£300 |
£5,000 |
|
Graffiti |
£50 |
£75 |
£2,500 |
|
Fly Posting |
£50 |
£75 |
£2,500 |
|
Not clearing away dog faeces |
£50 |
£75 |
£1,000 |
|
Dogs in areas where forbidden |
£50 |
£75 |
£1,000 |
|
Dogs not on a lead when requested |
£50 |
£75 |
£1,000 |
|
Maximum number of dogs in designated areas |
£50 |
£75 |
£1,000 |
|
Nuisance Parking |
£60 |
£100 |
£2,500 |
|
Breach of Community Protection Notice |
£60 |
£100 |
£2,500 for an individual; or up to £20,000 for businesses. |
Community Protection Notices
Community Protection Notices (CPN/s) were created under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. This allows Mid Sussex District Council to issue a warning letter asking for an anti-social behaviour to desist and if this behaviour is not stopped to issue a Community Protection Notice.
- A notice will be considered if the behaviour is having a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality;
- Is persistent or continuing in nature; and
- Is unreasonable.
The decision whether behaviour is considered as any of the above will be taken on a case by case basis.
If the Community Protection Notice is breached, Mid Sussex District Council can issue a Fixed Penalty Notice or take court action.
Public Spaces Protection Order
Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO/s) were created under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 and can be used to stop a person or a group of people committing anti-social behaviour in a public place, for example in a park.
Anti-Social Behaviour Offences need to:
- have had, or are likely to have, a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality;
- is, or is likely to be, persistent or continuing in nature;
- is, or is likely to be, unreasonable; and
- justifies the restrictions imposed.
Mid Sussex District Council will consider implementing an order on a case by case basis. If an individual breaches an implemented Public Spaces Protection Order they can be issued a Fixed Penalty Notice or be taken to court.
The Public Spaces Protection Orders that Mid Sussex District Council have initially instigated are: Fouling of land by dogs; Dog exclusion; Dogs on lead when requested; Maximum number of dogs.
West Sussex Mediation Service
The West Sussex mediation service can used for:
- Disputes between neighbours or members of the same household
- Driveway ownership/access disputes
- Property boundary disputes
Tel: 01403-258900
Email: info@wsms.org.uk
Community Trigger
The Community Trigger is a process that allows members of the community to ask the Mid Sussex Community Safety Partnership to review their responses to complaints about anti-social behaviour.
The Trigger is designed to make sure we work together to try and resolve any complaints about anti-social behaviour.
We will do this by:
- Talking about the problem
- Sharing information
- Using our resources to try and reach an agreeable outcome
The Trigger should be used if you believe your complaint has not been properly looked at - or no action has been taken by us.
Please note: The Trigger cannot be used to report general acts of crime, including hate crime.
The Trigger does not replace the complaints procedures of individual organisations - or your opportunity to complain to the Local Government Ombudsman or Independent Police Complaints Commission.
When can I trigger?
You can make a community trigger request if you have complained about three separate incidents in the last six months to:
The Council
The Police
Or a registered housing provider/social landlord
And
You believe you've been ignored
How do I trigger?
Online Community Trigger Request Form
Useful links
Contact us
Please call our switchboard to be directed to the correct team
Switchboard
Tel: 01444-458166
Keep up to date
Find out more about Mid Sussex District Council news by visiting our Newsroom.
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