Authorities have been urged to give greater clarity about surprise figures showing a dramatic decrease in antisocial behaviour (ASB) in Kent.

Statistics claim a massive 18% fall in ASB at a time when some communities feel the opposite is true.

A Kent Community Safety Partnership (KCSP) report to Kent County Council (KCC) said between April 2022 and March 2023 Kent Police recorded 27,528 incidents of ASB. In the previous 12 months, that figure was 32,564.

Kent Police say that some of the increase was due to ASB reports while Covid-19 restrictions were in place, but are unable to say how much.

The main types of antisocial behaviour were rowdy or nuisance gatherings in public; drunken and rowdy behaviour; neighbour disputes/nuisance and motor vehicle nuisance on roads.

Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Antony Hook, who represents Faversham, said: “These figures are surprising, to say the least.

“The issue of antisocial behaviour is massive in Faversham. Not a day goes past when there is not a social media posting about a car being damaged or broken or something set on fire.

“These figures absolutely scream for an explanation because they will not ring true to most people around here.”

Earlier this year, the government launched an “Antisocial Behaviour Action Plan” to target 'hotspots', ban nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and impose higher fines.

Cllr Hook, a criminal barrister, added: “The agencies expected to deal with this issue are stretched beyond belief, so it’s hard to see how this decrease can have been achieved. There should be honesty and they should say there is a problem.

“What is the point of giving people extra powers to do this or that when they haven’t got the resources to carry them out?”

Police Supt. Peter Steenhuis admitted he did not know how much of the decrease in ASB incidents was down to Covid-19 reporting.

He said: "Antisocial behaviour is still an important issue to us. We still want to address it as it is key to the community."

In Margate, Cllr Barry Lewis (Lab) said that people are discouraged to report ASB and crime because it is "too difficult" to reach the police on the non-emergency 101 line.

He said: "In Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs there is a major problem with ASB because of cutbacks. Crime is on the increase but reported crime is on the decrease because no one can get through."

Dover member Cllr Nigel Collor (Con) said: “Your perception of antisocial behaviour may be different to mine.

"There'a not a major problem in Dover but these things tend to come in spasms. But there is plenty of evidence of it in other parts of the county."

KCSP is behind the Kent Community Safety Agreement (CSA).

KCSP chairman Mike Hill OBE says in his introduction to the CSA: “Whilst enforcement of the law will always play a major part in community safety, much can be done to prevent problems before they arise and a great deal of effort is devoted to supporting and safeguarding vulnerable people, tackling issues of substance misuse, improving road safety, enhancing quality of life and developing community resilience.”

The report suggests ASB is a “priority” for the county’s 12 Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs).

The report says: “...existing evidence suggests antisocial behaviour (ASB) can result in a range of negative emotional, behavioural, social, health and financial impacts."

People with long-term health problems or mental health issues were more likely to have been victims or witnesses to ASB.

The report states: “Fear, loss of confidence, difficulty sleeping and anxiety were also common emotional impacts. While they were less commonly experienced…they were described as being more severe and longer lasting.

“ASB also impacted wider communities, both positively and negatively.”

It also suggests that while ASB can reduce trust, it can pull people together with a common purpose.

The issue was discussed at Thursday's (July 19) KCC scrutiny committee meeting at County Hall.