Leeds City Council tenants causing antisocial behaviour should lose their homes says Rothwell councillor

Liberal Democrat Conrad Hart-Brooke, who represents Rothwell, said the measure would act as a deterrent for criminal and nuisance behaviour.

The city council said earlier this year that anti-social behaviour “is not acceptable and will not be tolerated”, after a public meeting was told a Drighlington resident was causing mayhem on one street.

Coun Hart-Brooke made his remarks during a wider discussion about general anti-social behaviour at a community committee in Rothwell on Monday (September 25).

He said: “If you’re a council tenant and you’re a pain in the backside in a way that transgresses what would be fair and reasonable, they should lose the right to a council house.

“There are families that are terrorising their local areas. Sometimes it’s the kids, sometimes it’s their parents. We don’t have too many in Rothwell, but we do have some.

“It’s ultimately up to the courts in how they deal with incidents, but as a council we could say, ‘It’s our house. If you want to keep it you’ve got to play our game’.”

Coun Hart-Brooke said such a measure would reassure communities that anti-social behaviour was taken seriously.

And he agreed with Labour Coun Karen Renshaw, who stressed that not all council tenants should be tarred with the same brush.

Coun Renshaw, who represents East Ardsley and Robin Hood, said: “Not all the anti-social behaviour is carried out by council tenants. There’s a lot done by people in private properties. I absolutely loathe it when some people label tenants, because we do get good tenants in council properties.”

Speaking in June when asked about the specific case raised in Drighlington, a spokesperson for the city council said: “Anti-social behaviour is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. We work closely through the Safer Leeds Partnership to address concerns of anti-social behaviour and recognise the impact anti-social behaviour can have on residents and communities.

“We are committed to managing tenancies to minimise the impact and incidents of anti-social behaviour, and we will use the various tools and powers available to put a stop to it where it is affecting residents.”