New powers for victims of anti-social behaviour (ASB) to trigger case reviews if they feel the authorities are not taking them seriously have been welcomed.

The ‘Community Trigger’ has come into force this week as part of new legislation and those eligible to use it are being encouraged to deploy it.

The scheme is a way for members of the public to ask partners from the Community Safety Partnership to review their responses to complaints of ASB.

However, The Trigger will not replace organisations’ own complaints procedure and victims will still be able to complain to the Ombudsman or Independent Police Complaints Commission if they are unhappy about the service received from an officer or service.

Coun Pam Barton, cabinet member for communities, said: “Victims of ASB will be able to use the Community Trigger to request a review of their case. Agencies, including councils, police, local health teams and registered providers of social housing will have a duty to undertake a review of how they have dealt with a case when the complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome and the case meets our locally defined threshold.”

Chief Supt Bill McMahon, of Lancashire Police, said: “The introduction of the ‘Community Trigger’ will help reassure victims that we take their reports of anti-social behaviour seriously and will work in partnership to reduce vulnerability within our communities.”