Dudley Council will fly a thermal imaging drone over public green spaces and hold a drop-in session at Bumble Hole Café as part of a week-long push to tackle anti-social behaviour across the borough. The activity marks national Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week, which runs from 29 June to 5 July, and aims to encourage residents in Kingswinford and beyond to report problems. The full programme was published on the council’s news site.
The council’s five-strong out-of-hours team fielded more than 1,300 calls in the past year and made over 1,700 home visits. Councillor Damian Corfield, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said the council is “taking a firm and proactive approach” and wants residents to feel confident their reports will be taken seriously. A resident drop-in session takes place on Monday 29 June at 10am at Bumble Hole Café in Netherton, where the ASB team will answer questions and explain how to report problems.
Warmer months have long brought a spike in complaints. Between April and September 2025, the council logged an average of 124 calls per month, compared with 79 per month through the following winter. The drone, now a regular enforcement tool, has thermal imaging to track illegal off-road bikes, support fly-tipping investigations, and identify properties that may be used for drug cultivation. New Public Space Protection Orders also give officers extra powers to clamp down on street racing in parts of the borough.
Nine out of ten residents who reported anti-social behaviour this year told the council they were satisfied with how their case was handled. Non-emergency incidents can be reported at any time via the MyDudley online service or by phoning Dudley Council Plus on 0300 555 2345. Criminal matters or emergencies should go straight to West Midlands Police.
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