ASB Advisor

The ASBU does not take cases away from the area housing teams, but instead works with them to obtain the evidence, support the witnesses, and take the appropriate action to resolve antisocial behaviour and breach of tenancy. The purpose of the team is not to de-skill, but to motivate area housing teams by providing practical support and ensure our response to neighbour nuisance and antisocial behaviour is coordinated and timely.

The ASBU is committed to encourage, develop and support joint agency working between the Local Authority housing department, other council departments and outside agencies and provides a comprehensive information and support service to all front line officers dealing with neighbour nuisance and antisocial behaviour.

What is the role?

Reporting to the ASBU Manager this is an exciting opportunity for staff with experience of managing neighbour nuisance/conflict who want to provide an excellent service to customers.

As a specialist officer you will focus on early intervention and prevention strategies and work with customers to resolve matters speedily. You will be responsible for dealing with the more serious cases of neighbour nuisance and antisocial behaviour, preparing witness statements, Injunction/Possession Applications/other legal remedies and attending Court when required. This will all be working alongside Housing Officers.

The post requires a high standard of written communication, a willingness to work on your own initiative and the ability to change people's behaviour. You will be able to effectively manage and resolve cases of serious, complex and/or persistent anti-social behaviour by undertaking detailed investigations, gathering evidence, supporting witnesses and perpetrators, preparing files for court and giving evidence.

Liasing with elected representatives and senior officers from other departments/partner agencies as appropriate, you will need to attend public meetings, often held outside normal working hours.

You will be an experienced professional with an extensive knowledge of partnership working and problem resolution in a multi-agency environment. You will have an understanding of current legislation relating to antisocial behaviour, social housing, tenancy enforcement and homelessness, as well a good understanding of associated enforcement tools and legal remedies available, and how to access them. In addition you will:
1. Be able to demonstrate excellent practical skills in taking actions to enforce breach of tenancy.
2. Be confident to work using your own initiative and make decisions. You will have the ability to make quick and correct assessments of the seriousness and priority of a new case, or of a newly reported incident on an existing case, and then know what to do. This will include being able to deal with emergency cases (identifying what an emergency is and what the appropriate response is).
3. Have the ability to work efficiently and effectively with limited supervision.
4. Have excellent problem solving skills and an in-depth knowledge of how to manage and resolve cases, be able to draft action plans, to seek advice and support from colleagues and to draw attention to urgent cases.
5. Have the ability to build trust and confidence with your clients as you will be required to provide witness support to residents, complainants and victims. This can include persuading as many as possible to sign statements and attend court.
6. Have excellent record keeping skills and be able to demonstrate an understanding of the central role good record keeping plays in being successful.
7. Be able to work well in a team, listening carefully to your colleagues and working with them as part of a team when focusing on difficult cases that are not always your own.
8. Be flexible and adaptable and receptive to change. ASB legislation is ever changing, with new case problems and evolving best practices. The ASB Advisor must adopt a flexible and open minded approach to his or her work, always wanting to learn and always wanting to improve his or her personal response.
9. Have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal and the ability to communicate at all levels. The role requires you to keep good case records, produce clear and well written letters, concise but clear database entries, and case files with lists of witnesses, photographs, correspondence and other evidence. In addition you will be required to draft detailed witness and housing officer statements to court standard as well as drafting Notices with regards to antisocial behaviour. You will be required to conduct quality Initial Complainant and 'perpetrator' interviews.
10. Demonstrate an understanding of Magistrates and County Court procedures, Court Orders, breaches of court orders and the subsequent consequences of breach.

Additional Information:

You will need to be mobile as you will be visiting clients in their homes and attending meetings at different locations. Therefore, it would be an advantage if you have a current driving licence and daily use of a vehicle. A use of car mileage allowance is payable.

This role is based in the Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services directorate. The Local Authority Housing (LAH) Anti-Social Behaviour unit provides support to the LAH teams to 'to help stop ASB that affects residents or their local area'.