Anti-Social Behaviour in the Holylands

 I congratulate my colleague Anna Lo for bringing this debate to the House. We have been here many times before, and I know that the Minister for Employment and Learning has answered many questions in relation to the Holylands. I want to put on record my appreciation of what the Minister and his Department have done in trying to bring the various groups together, as it has been very important.

The problem that is experienced in the Holylands is creeping into other areas. In the past 10 days or so, I organised a visit with Minister Poots to the lower Malone area. We found that the problem with HMOs is creeping up towards Eglantine Avenue and is found in the whole lower Malone area as well. The problem is not confined to the Holylands area, although that area saw the worst of what happened last St Patrick’s Day.

I welcome the many moves that have been made by the various agencies over the past 12 months; I will not go over them all again. Much of the blame is placed on the universities, but sometimes the criticism that is directed at Queen’s University in particular is ill-founded, to say the least. Of the 35 people who were arrested last St Patrick’s Day, fewer than half were students. The others were people from various walks of life who came to the Holylands area and were involved in all sorts of antisocial behaviour.

Queen’s University and the University of Ulster have done tremendous work over a protracted period, particularly Queen’s, with various residents’ groups. We should not take away from that; we should thank the universities for doing it and encourage them to continue going down that route. It is important to say that it is totally unfair when the blame is placed on students all the time. It is not always students, and it is unfair that sometimes they bear the brunt of the whole thing. However, let us face it: it is not just a St Patrick’s Day problem, it is a problem in that area on, basically, a nightly basis. Most of the trouble is fuelled by alcohol and parties, and we all know what happens with all of that.

The police need to take robust action. I hear what they say about a gradual police response and all the rest of it, but they need to get in there and deal with antisocial behaviour and the many other problems. Some of those problems need to be nipped in the bud at a very early stage.

That can be done most effectively by having a large number of police officers, wardens and community stewards in the area and visible to the community, and who are there to deal with issues and to mingle with people from morning, throughout the day and, indeed, regularly at night. Some folk need to be trained to behave properly toward residents, not only on St Patrick’s Day but on every other day of the year that they live in the area. Residents have a right to expect that. Landlords also have their part to play; as do those licensees who are quite happy to regularly sell cheap booze to people who are already intoxicated. There needs to be a much more responsible attitude shown.

During the past while, the Assembly has discussed policing and justice issues, and it will do so again next week. If policing and justice is devolved in the near future, one of the first actions that the Assembly can take is to empower the police with the fixed-penalty system that works effectively in many other cities and parts of the United Kingdom. That legislation can deal with offences such as breach of the peace, minor criminal damage, disorderly behaviour, indecent behaviour, obstructing the police, and purchasing and selling alcohol to minors.

Many offences can be dealt with under a fixed penalty notice system. First and foremost, it sends out a warning to people without giving them serious criminal records. It tells them that their cards are marked and that if their behaviour continues, they will find themselves with criminal records that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. First and foremost, young people should be given a chance. That system has worked well in many cities throughout the UK. I am aware from information that I received from Sheffield that the system has worked particularly effectively in that city. The Assembly must look at that seriously.

In her comments, Anna Lo referred to HMOs. Unfortunately, HMOs have almost gone beyond redemption in the Holylands. The problem is evident, and, frankly, I do not know which Minister in the Assembly would try to solve it. The mess was created by direct rule Ministers and the Planning Service prior to devolution. An absolute mess has been created in that area. It is disgraceful. The Minister saw it creeping into other areas when he visited the residents of the lower Malone Road during the past few days. That opened his eyes. Co-ordination is needed so that another Holylands is not created in a different area close to the university. I have tried to impress on planners and other people that they must look at that problem. Responsibility must lie with landlords as well.

It is incumbent on all of us to do what we can to try to make the situation better. I welcome all the measures that Anna Lo mentioned in her remarks, which are being put in place for St Patrick’s Day 2010 by the students’ union, the universities and many other people in the area. I hope that in 2010, people will be responsible and will listen to what the various agencies are saying. I hope that the new camera system, and so on, will bring added bonuses and benefits.

If similar misbehaviour occurs, the police must deal with it robustly. They must deal with it at an early stage and take people to court. People must learn their lesson.

The sort of behaviour that took place on St Patrick’s Day 2009 is not acceptable in any part of our city, any village, any town or anywhere else in the Province. I urge the police to ensure that they have the necessary resources in place. Alex Maskey and I raised that issue at a previous meeting of the Policing Board. I will be speaking to the police this Thursday to ensure that the proper resources will be available from a community and every other perspective on St Patrick’s Day. I thank the Member again for securing the debate.