Greenwich Council and other landlord bodies have made a new social housing pledge to ensure the borough's residents are kept safe and secure from crime.

The 'No Home for Harm' campaign outlines a common set of principles for social landlords, including the council, to work more collaboratively in tackling issues like ASB, hate crime, serious violence and other forms of criminality.

Greenwich Council leader Danny Thorpe said the essence of the pledge was "improving the way we all work together to address issues that affect residents, so we remain united in our common goal of making the borough a better place to live.”

The council held a launch event for the pledge, attended by representatives from L&Q, Optivo, Southern Housing Group, PA Housing, Charlton Triangle Homes, Peabody, Hexagon and Moat, as well as councillors Chris Kirby and Jackie Smith, cabinet members for housing and community safety respectively.

The borough's social landlords all signed the pledge which is expected to enhance the joint working between them to tackle crime and breaches of tenancy.

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There have already been several police operations into the supply of drugs from local addresses and as a result, enforcement against breaches of tenancy for the households involved, along with partnership working to tackle crime in the areas affected.

As well as addressing issues affecting social housing residents, Greenwich Council and its partners will also continue to tackle ASB and crime arising from private property households, be it rented, or owner occupied.

Over the next year, the authority will aim to expand No Home for Harm as a much wider campaign to target such issues.

Addressing a room of the social landlords, Cllr Thorpe commented: “Social housing in Royal Greenwich provides stability and security for many people in our borough, and it is a fundamental part of their lives.

“I’m sure you will all agree that our role and responsibilities as social landlords go beyond, and is far more complex, than just providing affordable housing.

"Ensuring that residents also have safe and decent homes, in an equally safe and decent area, where they can thrive and prosper in their communities, is of the upmost importance."