Anti-social behaviour falls across Wiltshire and Swindon as ASB Awareness Week begins

Anti-social behaviour across Wiltshire and Swindon has fallen by 6% over the past year, with 585 fewer incidents recorded, as local partners mark the start of Anti-social Behaviour Awareness Week by highlighting the work taking place to make communities safer.

The figures from May 2025 to April 2026 show 9,240 reports of anti-social behaviour compared to 9,825 reports the previous year. The figures also show that perceived anti-social behaviour has fallen from 10% to 6.8%, below the national comparator of 8.0%. The reductions come as Wiltshire Police, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Wiltshire Council, Swindon Borough Council, businesses and community organisations continue to strengthen their joint response to anti-social behaviour, recognising that long-term success depends on prevention, early intervention and coordinated enforcement.

The OPCC continues to work closely with Wiltshire Council, Swindon Borough Council and Wiltshire Police to support a range of initiatives that tackle anti-social behaviour in different ways. Taxi Marshal schemes in Swindon and Salisbury help reduce alcohol-related disorder and support people to get home safely during busy evenings, while Premier League Kicks in Swindon provides young people with positive activities, trusted role models and opportunities to develop new skills outside school.

Philip Wilkinson, Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, said:

"Anti-social behaviour isn't just about the number of incidents recorded. It's about how safe people feel in their communities. When repeated behaviour goes unchecked, it can have a lasting impact on residents, businesses and entire neighbourhoods.

"Anti-social Behaviour Awareness Week is an opportunity to shine a light on that impact, but also on the progress being made. These latest figures are encouraging and reflect the work of many organisations pulling in the same direction.

"None of this is achieved by one organisation acting alone. The progress we're seeing is the result of Wiltshire Police, our local authorities, businesses, community groups and many other partners working together to solve problems, share information and focus resources where they're needed most.

"There is always more to do, but these results show that partnership working is making a real difference and we're determined to build on that progress."

Partnership working also sits at the heart of the Business Crime Reduction Partnership, which launched in Salisbury in November 2025. Bringing together retailers, local authorities, Wiltshire Police and the OPCC, the scheme enables businesses to share intelligence, identify repeat offenders and coordinate responses to retail crime and anti-social behaviour. Following encouraging early results, the partnership is now being rolled out across Wiltshire and Swindon.

The work complements Wiltshire Police's Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan, which places partnership working at the centre of the county's response to anti-social behaviour. By bringing together policing, councils, businesses and local communities to identify and resolve persistent problems, the plan aims to reduce offending while improving public confidence and making neighbourhoods feel safer.

Steven Jolly, Chief Inspector for the Wiltshire Police Neighbourhood Harm and Reduction Unit said: 

 "Tackling anti-social behaviour is central to our commitment to creating safer public spaces across Wiltshire. We know the significant impact ASB can have on individuals and communities, and we remain focused on addressing it through a combination of prevention, enforcement and strong partnership working.

 "Neighbourhood Policing Teams play a vital role in this, working closely with residents to understand and respond to local concerns. I would encourage anyone experiencing anti-social behaviour to report it and engage with their local officers.”

While the latest figures show encouraging progress, partners agree that maintaining the downward trend will depend on sustained collaboration and a shared commitment to making Wiltshire and Swindon safer for everyone.

Lianna Bradshaw is the Tactical ASB lead at Wiltshire Police:

“We’ve seen the positive effect schemes such as the taxi marshals and Premier Leagues Kicks has on the areas where they’re being delivered and we’re already starting to see how the partnership working involved with the BCRP is making residents and businesses in Salisbury feel safer.

“However, we also know that anti-social behaviour remains under-reported and this can be for a number of reasons, whether it be through a lack confidence in authorities to deal with it, not knowing which authority to report it to, or feeling nervous about the potential consequences of reporting it.

“Anti-social behaviour is taken seriously by Wiltshire Police and its partners, and this is reflected in the latest statistics. You can find out how to report anti-social behaviour and who to report it to by looking at the ASB section of the OPCC website. You can also report anonymously via Crimestoppers.”

Published Monday 29 June 2026