Hunslet Moor Park: Leeds Council update after partial closure orders to tackle drug dealing at blocks of flats

Partial closure orders covering five blocks of flats near Hunslet Moor Park were granted to Leeds City Council by magistrates earlier this year following an investigation by West Yorkshire Police into local drug dealing activity.

The terms of the three-month orders meant it temporarily became an arrestable offence for unauthorised visitors to the flats to be present in communal spaces such as foyers, landings, stairwells and lifts.

It was hoped that the threat of arrest would put a stop to youths hanging around the flats and act as a deterrent to people who gained entry to the buildings for the purpose of buying or selling drugs.

Coun Mary Harland, City Council’s executive member for communities, customer service and community safety, said: “We want every single part of Leeds to be a place where people feel safe and secure, both at home and while they are going about their daily business.

“It’s really pleasing, therefore, to see the positive impact that Team Leodis’s latest deployment has had on these flats as well as the surrounding areas.

“The results show what can be achieved by a refusal to tolerate any sort of crime or anti-social behaviour and also underline the value of partnership working, in this case between the council and West Yorkshire Police.”

The restrictions covered the Crescent Grange and Crescent Towers high-rises as well as three low-rise blocks on nearby Moor Crescent Chase, off Dewsbury Road.

Full closure orders were also secured for six residential addresses in the wider Dewsbury Road area that were identified as hotspots for anti-social behaviour.

An overwhelming majority of the residents in the flats who were contacted during a recent police survey said there had been a noticeable improvement following the introduction of restrictions.

Sergeant Edel Fox, from West Yorkshire Police’s Leeds Anti-Social Behaviour Team, said: “This operation saw multiple police departments working closely with the council and other partners in the community, and has delivered significant results in the ongoing fight against crime.

“This marks a strong step forward in our collective mission to bring offenders to justice and restore safety and confidence in the local area. But I want to stress that the work doesn’t end here. We remain in the area continuing this vital work in the Dewsbury Road area.

“I would urge people to continue to report any issues so action can be taken. You can also sign up to West Yorkshire Police Community Alert to receive updates about what’s going on in your area as well as crime prevention advice.”

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A number of cases were also found where criminals had attempted to exploit vulnerable members of the community, including people who had recently overcome addiction issues or had been rehoused after a period of homelessness.

Some of these cases involved a practice known as ‘cuckooing’, where a person’s home is taken over - often by force, coercion or deceit - and used as a base for storing, supplying or producing drugs as well as other unlawful activity.

Should the situation begin to worsen again, the council has the option of going back to court to seek a new set of partial closure orders.