Council secures partial closure orders covering three high-rise blocks
Leeds City Council has secured a set of partial closure orders in an attempt to keep three tower blocks free of drug-related crime and anti-social behaviour.
The newly-granted orders mean only residents in the blocks and authorised visitors – including friends, relatives and tradespeople – are allowed in communal areas such as foyers, landings, storage spaces, stairwells and lifts.
The orders – which cover Oatland Court, Oatland Heights and Oatland Towers in Little London – were granted to the council by magistrates following an investigation by West Yorkshire Police into local drug dealing activity.
Residents had reported feeling intimidated and distressed by people coming into Little London and gaining entry to the blocks for the purpose of buying or selling drugs.
Entering these areas without permission is now an arrestable offence.
The council is working with a team at West Yorkshire Police that is partly funded by the local authority's housing service.
The police team primarily comprises police officers with expert knowledge of how court orders and injunctions can be used to stop crime and anti-social behaviour.
They focus on one part of the city at a time as they tackle problems that are causing concern for council tenants, with support from housing, legal and other council staff, as well as officers from local neighbourhood policing teams.
A police survey on the impact of the orders received positive responses from locals.
Cllr Mary Harland, Leeds City Council's executive member for communities, customer service and community safety, said: "We want communities in Leeds to be places where people of all ages feel safe and secure as they go about their daily lives – places, in short, that they are proud to call home.
"It's really encouraging, therefore, to hear about the positive impact that these court orders have made and how they've been welcomed by residents in Oatland Court, Oatland Heights and Oatland Towers.
"The orders make it clear that we will not tolerate anti-social behaviour in Leeds and they also illustrate the results that can be delivered through collaborative working, with the support and expertise of West Yorkshire Police playing an absolutely crucial role in securing them."
Last month Newark & Sherwood District Council secured its own closure order in relation to two properties where anti-social behaviour and drug-related incidents took place.
Newark & Sherwood obtained a partial closure order that meant only named visitors can be granted access to the two properties.
Adam Carey
