Published: Wednesday, 27th July 2016
Cannock Chase Council supported by Staffordshire Police executed a warrant to seize noise making equipment from a property in Rugeley last week.
The resident of the property had failed to heed warnings from Officers of the Environmental Health Department to reduce the excessive volume at which music was being played. The Council investigated and were satisfied that the noise was excessive, this resulted in the service of a Noise Abatement Notice in January this year.
Further incidents of noise nuisance were reported by local residents following the service of the Notice. Investigations confirmed that noise levels continued to give rise to a statutory nuisance, as Police and Council officers who were called out to the address witnessed noise from the loud amplified music that was causing a nuisance in breach of the Notice.
When a Noise Abatement Notice, served in relation by noise from amplified music, is breached, the Council’s approach is to remove the offender’s capacity to cause the nuisance by seizing the equipment he or she is using. In this case officers successfully obtained a warrant to enter the property from Cannock Magistrates and then seized equipment which included; 2 flat screen TVs, a music centre, a DVD player, a Virgin media box, an X-Box, several loudspeakers and sound bar.
The equipment is held by the Council for a minimum of 28 days and may be destroyed if the offender is convicted of causing a nuisance. This “short, sharp shock” approach, adopted by many councils across the country, has been found to be a useful tool to tackle persistent offenders and bring them to their senses.
Councillor John Preece, Environment Portfolio Leader said: “Most people show consideration to their neighbours with regard to any noise they make. However, there are some individuals who don’t show such consideration and, whilst the officers will try to persuade them to behave more responsibly, if they don’t the Council has a range of legal powers at its disposal.
In this case, officers obtained a Magistrates Court Warrant to seize the equipment being used to make the noise. I would assure residents suffering with noisy neighbours that Cannock Chase Council takes noise complaints seriously and will take the most appropriate action to deal with noise nuisance.
This is the second occasion this year that the outcome of a noise nuisance investigation has resulted in the seizure of equipment and persistent offenders can expect the same approach, if they choose to ignore warnings.”
The Council would encourage residents to be mindful of their neighbours when listening to music or engaging in other activities that may impact on them, in particular BBQs /garden parties during the summer, as failure to do so may result in formal enforcement action by officers.