Haxby Town Council urges residents to report ASB to police

Haxby Town Council published a guide with a reminder to residents on its website on Monday, September 14 with a distinction given between anti-social behaviour and criminal offences.

A council spokesperson said it is working actively with North Yorkshire Police, ward councillors, the deputy mayor for policing, fire and crime for York and North Yorkshire, and the MP for York Outer Luke Charters to reduce incidences of crime and anti-social behaviour.

Recommended reading:

Back in the Autumn last year Luke Charters was in Haxby filming a piece for Channel 4 about anti-social behaviour on the high street.

Mr Charters said at the time he’d been working hard to tackle the issue over the past year alongside Deputy Mayor Jo Coles and had been filming for a piece that aired on The Political Slot on Channel 4.

In May 2025, North Yorkshire Police identified Ethel Ward Playing Field in Haxby as one of the county’s anti-social behaviour hotspots but at the time said targeted enforcement had helped cut incidents significantly.

In a statement, a Haxby Town Council spokesperson said: “We receive police ASB reports every month and discuss these at every meeting.

“Recently, the local police and PCSO attended one of our meetings and it is clear that there has been a spike in ASB nationally – and Haxby is not immune to this.

“However, we were pleased to hear that North Yorkshire Police are expecting an increase in newly-trained and recruited police officers, which should improve police presence and availability.”

The council said its website advice is essentially provided as guidance for which incidents should be reported to 101, or in emergencies to make a 999 call.

The spokesperson added: “If incidents are not properly reported then we cannot expect a police response.

“We actively encourage our residents to continue to report ASB incidents as this enables more police presence in the area. 

“Posting on social media and comments on press articles will not be captured by the police so residents need to ensure they report through the official channels to ensure long term action is successful.

“Police advise us to use the 101 phone number, as call wait times are much improved.”

The council said it, alongside Wigginton Parish Council, funds youth services through the Haxby and Wigginton Youth and Community Association, which provides youth workers at Oaken Grove Community Centre.

This support aims to keep young people engaged and reduce incidents of ASB, the spokesperson said.

The council said it will continue working with police, bus services, and youth projects to address the problem.

Suggestions under consideration include improved street lighting, clearer sight lines, and the potential installation of CCTV cameras.

The council spokesperson added: “Separately, following ASB incidents earlier this year, we are also looking at ways to prevent vehicular access to the Ethel Ward Playing Field.

“We are optimistic that newly refurbished courts will mean more people using the playing field more often; and this we hope will discourage isolated incidents of bad behaviour.”