The neighbours are getting worse

Statistics show that 218 cases involving anti-social behaviour from council tenants were dealt with in 1998 - an overall increase of 55 per cent from 1997.

The report reveals that a "significant number" of incidents reported to the Council's nuisance and harassment team involved people with mental health problems, drink and drug related problems, and elderly people.

It also details how noise was the main causes of dispute between neighbours, accounting for 28.7 per cent of people complaining in 1998. Other complaints included personal harassment, disputes about pets and racial harassment.

Nuisance and harassment manager at Kirklees Council Ian Sykes said: "The reason behind the increase is not because Kirklees has suddenly become a 'sin city' but because we've been able to raise the nuisance and harassment team's profile.

"People are more prepared to come to us to discuss their problems because they know they can get something done about it."

The report - called Nuisance and Harassment, Case Analysis 1998 - further reveals how procedures to take legal action over nuisance neighbours have become quicker and more efficient in the last 12 months, in some cases taking as little as ten weeks.

Mr Sykes added that four tenants had been evicted by the Council in 1998.

Now Kirklees Independent Mediation Service are urging people to contact them to stop situations getting out of hand.

A group of trained volunteers, mediators from the service, visit people's homes and encourage them to talk the situation through.

Co-ordinator Steve Edwards said: "We're not dealing with neighbours from hell but with people where things have gone a little bit wrong. It's all about communication."

Anyone wanting to contact Kirklees Independent Mediation Service should telephone 0800 0522324.

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