A NEW “community trigger” which will allow victims of persistent anti-social behaviour to request an official review into their circumstances could be used frivolously, a report has claimed.

The draft Anti-Social Behaviour Bill which is being prepared for Parliament gives long-suffering victims the right to request that the relevant body, which could be the police, council or social housing landlord, conduct a case review.

“Under the proposals, the relevant bodies must carry out a review if the threshold is met,” said Dr Sue Lammin, head of environment and community health services at Huntingdonshire District Council.

Her report to the council’s social well-being overview and scrutiny panel said that could mean that three reports of separate incidents could trigger a review – but went onto warn: “There is a risk that the trigger may be used frivolously.”

In some instances, complainants with complex issues affecting their emotional and mental health could have expectations that are not deemed rational after investigating the facts.

“The concern is that should a high number of community triggers be received the review processes are likely to absorb the available resources so that the capacity to deliver solutions to new cases arising will be reduced,” she said.