The Liberal Democrats will cut the burgeoning use of antisocial behaviour orders if they win the general election.

The party would instead champion acceptable behaviour contracts, which are agreements between the police, local authorities and individuals.

The party’s manifesto, launched last Thursday, states that the contracts – currently used by just a few councils – would be rolled out across the country. ASBOs would only be used when the contracts break down.

“The contracts are faster, more flexible and informal and much cheaper than ASBOs. Where they have been used, about 50% have been successfully completed,” said a party spokesman.

“ASBOs are an exclusionist measure that don’t tackle the underlying problem.”

But Tim Winter, national organiser of the Social Landlords Crime and Nuisance Group, countered: “The use of ASBOs is currently appropriate. Acceptable behaviour contracts are part of good practice and are being used up and down the country. No one is using ASBOs as a single tool.”

The manifesto restated Lib Dem housing policy, including a plan to scrap the Housing Corporation and give its functions to the Audit Commission (HT 17 December 2004, page 13). Grants to registered social landlords would be handed out by regional housing boards controlled directly by local councillors. Under this regime, 100,000 affordable homes would be built using land made available by the Ministry of Defence, Department of Health and English Partnerships.

The ODPM has already begun to pass NHS land to English Partnerships and is working on a similar deal with the MoD.

It's their party: other manifestos

George Galloway’s Respect party and Plaid Cymru has pledged to reverse Labour’s stock transfer policy. Respect’s manifesto claims that stock transfer results in higher rents and a higher burden of housing benefit, and leads tenants into poverty traps.

The Scottish National party has promised to increase social housebuilding, to give first-time buyers a £2000 grant and to reform the right to buy so new homes are not sold out of the social rented sector. The Green party would give councils receipts from housing sales to fund new buildings and would set up self-build homes co-ops.

Robert Kilroy-Silk’s Veritas has pledged a three-year moratorium on immigration. Under the UK Independence party, councils could raise more cash for housing by having control of business rates.

Source

Housing Today