Who is involved…

My 73 year old auntie retired a few years back. She moved to a ground floor flat to help with her mobility issues. A block of flats historically known for over 55s. She has a false knee, epilepsy & all other health issues that’s normal for a lady her age. The flat is a perfect fit! With the added benefit of a post office and shop directly across the road. Hairdressers adjacent & the doctors and pharmacy 5 minutes walk down the road. 

My Auntie spent her working years in the care industry looking after elderly in her younger years and went on to foster 11 children over through her career. Some with learning disabilities.  She is patient, kind, and a happy go lucky lady and loves to make friends. 

For the past 3 years she has been a victim of 24/7 ASB and drugs being caused by a gang that visits a flat directly above her home. The smell of drugs in the building (block of 6 flats) effects her and gives her a dry cough.

Due to her flat being located on the ground floor she is disturbed by the gang all around her flat covering every window and entrance of her home. Meanwhile whilst the gang is in  the flat the disturbance continues, as the flat it’s directly above her. Leaving her unable to escape the noise and is disturbed 24/7.  

The noise have been so bad at times she has slept in her chair. 

the gang are widely known in the area for their nuisance behaviour & criminal activity in and around the village by locals and the police.  

After i visited from London on Mother’s Day 2022 and seeing this asb with my own eyes and smelling the drugs myself. I asked my aunt what was the housing company doing about this as I know she has reported it many times. She handed me a letter from Trivallis (the housing company) asking for more evidence.  And suggested for my aunt to down load a nose App, report issues when happening and to fill in a log. 

Concerned for her health and mental well-being I told my auntie that I will take over dealing with this issue, and not to worry. 

•App- my aunt is 73 and doesn’t have a smart phone. 
•logs- I wanted to know what action had been taken so far with her currently logs. - to date no response on this question. 
•report issues when happening - I called 999 on the spot with the issues that was happening right there which was 1. Building smelling of drugs. 2. A group of men arguing in the flat above. 3. Man yelling and swearing in the hallway directly outside my aunts door about a sale of a dog. I was told this is not an emergency. 
•Moving forwards I called the police on 101 with similar situations and I have been on hold upto 2 hours. Leaving it impossible to report issues whilst happening. 

Police & trivallis need more evidence.
I fitted CCTV that day to capture and report the ASB & Crime. To date I have 1328 CCTV footage on a Dropbox drive for the police and trivallis to view. I have highlight high profile clips. 

The outcome so far.

•police have advised their is no evidence of asb & crime at my aunts home.
•police also advised they don’t have time to review the footage I provided. Which begs the question how come you came to the conclusion there’s no evidence?

•Trivallis advised they have followed all steps regarding my aunts situation.
•Both trivallis & police have advised it’s only me that has complained on my aunts behalf of asb & drugs in and around my aunts home. This is not true I ended up copying in others that complained in the email chain and they spoke up.
•Although my aunt does not want to move she has excepted she can’t live in this environment. She is now on home-finders in a band C and needs to bid online every week which I do on her behalf. The pool of home are as little as 1 a week with thousands bidding. 
•She could had been bumped up the list if the police give her a ‘risk to life stamp of approval’ they declined to do so. 

my overall view of the matter 

overall I am appalled I have had to go this far to solve this issue. 
This matter has not been taking seriously by South Wales police, trivallis and local government until I got involved. This leaves me feeling my elderly vulnerable aunt has not only been a victim of crime but been ignored of by the very people we are supposed to go to for help. The action they have taken is no more than a box ticking exercise. IE, safety pack dropped off for my aunt. (This is clips for her windows that’s she was supposed to install herself) support officer sent to my aunts address from llumau. This does not resolve anything. 

the outcome I am aiming for…

for the long term & the greater good of the community..

•my aunts building to be cleaned up by this deep rooted, mismanaged ASB & Drugs problem as it will get worse. 
•ASBO’s to be put in place for those people who don’t live in the building to not be allowed to visit. This goes for other areas and residents they terrorise. Such as the next estate down Pant y Cerdin. 
•Tougher laws holding ASBOS accountable. 
•Police & Travallis to clean up their system  to solve ASB & drugs and to take reports seriously. 
•build the communities trust back up with South Wales police. 
•Support the cause of women feeling safe on the streets & in their homes. 
•get a asb scheme together to issue ring door bell cameras for ASB & drugs hot spots. Especially the elderly and vulnerable.  This will provide the authorities with clear hard evidence needed to hold those accountable, save police time, make residents in the community feel safer, and spare the mental health of victims of asb having the painful task of reporting, email & 2 hour 101 calls. Cameras cost money but will save money from police time alone. 
(I myself will be happy to start the fund raising for this and train/set up all residents with the easy to use security camera)

immediate outcome. 
Move my auntie and her dog to a flat where she can live out the rest of her days in peace. So far she has been failed by all of our local services. Trivallis, South Wales police and local government. My auntie being 73 does not have time to be going through long winded broken systems and I am not going to stand around and watch her become another statistic of crime and neglect.

Please join me in the cause and sign my petition. 

Ria Davies 247asbCwmbach