PARTNERSHIP CRACKS DOWN ON DRUG DEALING

CASTLE Morpeth Housing and Northumbria Police form a partnership to crack
down on anti-social behaviour and drug dealing.

The newly formed Castle Morpeth Housing company has taken its first step
towards stamping out ASB and drug dealing in its homes through close
working between its dedicated enforcement team and the police neighbourhood
beat teams.

A Notice of Seeking Possession was served on a Hadston tenant by Castle
Morpeth Housing with support from the local police beat officer.

The tenant, who moved into the Hadston property in August 2007, has
breached their tenancy agreement by being convicted of a drugs offence.

The tenant was arrested early September 2007 and subsequently charged for
cultivating cannabis in the then council owned property in Hadston near
Morpeth.

Several weeks later the tenant appeared at South East Northumberland
Magistrates Court and was convicted of the offence and was fined UKP100 and
ordered to pay costs of UKP15.

The court also ordered the removal of various items from the tenant's home
which had been used to cultivate cannabis. The court ordered these items to
be forfeited by the defendant and destroyed.

Castle Morpeth Housing's managing director Tina Drury said: "This type of
behaviour is completely unacceptable in our homes and will not be tolerated.

"Drug dealing is clearly in breach of the terms of the tenancy agreement.
This initial action demonstrates how we and the police are working together
to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour."

Morpeth Sector Inspector Mick Dwyer said: "This sends a clear signal that
the Police and Castle Morpeth Housing are serious about tackling drug
dealing and anti-social behaviour issues. I urge the public to contact the
police with any information they have about those who blight communities by
drug dealing."

The property at Hadston formed part of the transfer of over 2,000 council
properties to Castle Morpeth Housing, part of the Isos Housing Group, in
October 2007.

This followed an overwhelming 87.4 per cent resident vote in favour of the
transfer of landlords last year, believed to be the biggest-ever Yes Vote
on a Large Scale Voluntary Transfer (LSVT).

The transfer is predicted to lever in UKP120m over the next 30 years as
part of a full investment programme to be spent on major repairs,
maintenance and improvements to tenants homes and estates.