COUNCILLOR Derek Bateman, leader of the Labour Group and a member of Cheshire Police Authority, has expressed concern at proposals to axe Anti-Social Behaviour Orders.
Home Secretary Theresa May has announced radical plans to shake-up crime enforcement policy by scrapping the Asbos introduced in 1998.
Councillor Bateman said: “The stats show that about half of all the Asbos issued since they were introduced were breached at least once. That may be true but it is not the whole story.
“What it means is that around half are successful and just because an Asbo is breached doesn’t mean the problem continues.
“There are serious sanctions including prison ultimately for breaching an Asbo which is why to my mind they are a useful weapon in the fight against crime.
He added: “To abolish them without any serious thought about a replacement is going to have a negative effect on controlling anti social behaviour.”
Councillor Justin Madders added: “There have been more than 300 Asbos issued in Cheshire since they were introduced and I don’t think anyone has said they have all failed.
“Prisoners leave jail and reoffend but nobody is suggesting prisons should be scrapped, so why this argument with Asbo?”
