CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRING AGENCY LEGAL POWER AND ACTION INTERVENTION - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

AGENCY LEGAL POWER AND ACTION CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRING INTERVENTION Environmental Health Power to require removal of noxious matter by

• ccupier of premises (s.79 Public Health Act)

Where the resident is not willing to co-operate the LA can serve notice on the owner or occupier to “remove accumulations of noxious matter‟. Noxious not defined, but usually is “harmful, unwholesome‟. No appeal available. If not complied with in 24 hours, The LA can do works in default and recover expenses. Where resident not willing to co-operate and property containing noxious matter Environmental Health Cleansing of filthy or verminous premises (s.83 Public Health Act) LA serves notice requiring clearance of materials and objects that are filthy, cleansing of surfaces, carpets etc. within 24 hours or more. If not complied with, Environmental Health (EH) can carry out works in default and charge. No appeal against notice but an appeal can be made against the cost and reasonableness of the works on the notice. Where any premises, tent, van, shed, ship or boat is either; a) Filthy or unwholesome so as to be prejudicial to health; or b) Verminous (relating to rats, mice other pests including insects, their eggs and larvae) Under s.84 items can be cleaned or destroyed to prevent injury to persons in the premises Environmental Health Dealing with Statutory Nuisances (s.80 Environmental Protection Act 1990) SNs are defined in section 79 of the Act and include any act or omission at premises that prevents the normal activities and use of another premises, including the following: Section 79 (1) (a) any premises in such a state as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance (c) Fumes or gases emitted from [private dwellings] premises so as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance (e) Any accumulation or deposit which is prejudicial to health or a nuisance

(f) Any animal kept in such a place or manner as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance The LA serves an Abatement Notice made under section 80 to abate the nuisance if it exists at the time or to prevent its occurrence

• r recurrence.

Environmental Health Power of LA to require action to prevent or treat Rats and Mice (s.4 Public Health Act) Notice may be served on the owner or occupier and provide a reasonable period of time to carry out reasonable works to treat for rats and/or mice, remove materials that may feed or harbour them and carry out structural works. The LA may carry out works in default and charge for these. Notice may be served on owner or occupier of land/ premises where rats and/ or mice are or may be present due to the conditions at the time Environmental Health Power of entry/Warrant (s.287 Public Health Act) Gain entry for examination of necessary work required under Public Health Act Police attendance required for forced entry. Non-engagement of person. To gain entry for examination/execution of necessary work (all tenure including Leaseholders/Freeholders). Environmental Health Power of entry/Warrant (s.239/240 Public Health Act) Environmental Health Officer to apply to Magistrate. Good reason to force entry will be required (all party evidence gathering) Police attendance required. Non-engagement of person/entry previously

• denied. To survey and examine (all tenure

including Leaseholders/Freeholders). Environmental Health Enforcement Notice (s.83 PHA 1936) Notice requires person served to comply. Failure to do so can lead to council carrying out requirements, at own expense; though can recover expenses that were reasonably incurred. Filthy or unwholesome condition of premises (articles requiring cleansing or destruction) prevention of injury or danger to person served. (All tenure including Leaseholders/Freeholders/Empty properties). Environmental Health Litter Clearing Notice (s.92a Environmental Protection Act 1990) Where land open to air if defaced by refuse which is detrimental to the amenity of the

Environmental Health to make an assessment to see if this option is the most suitable.

• locality. An example would be where hoarding

has spilled over into a garden area. Police Power of Entry (s.17 of Police and Criminal Evidence Act) Person inside the property is not responding to

• utside contact and there is evidence of danger.

Information that someone was inside the premises was ill or injured and the Police would need to gain entry to save life and limb. Animal Welfare Agencies such as RSPCA/Local Authority e.g. Environmental Health/DEFRA Animal Welfare Act 2006 Offences (Improvement Notice) Education for owner preferred initial step, improvement notice issued and monitored, if not complied can lead to a fine or imprisonment. Cases of animal mistreatments/neglect. The Act makes it not only against the law to be cruel to an animal but that a person must ensure that the welfare needs of the animals are met. See also http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/. Local Authority/Adult Social Care Care Act 2014 Duty to assess needs where requested for any adult who appears to have any level of needs for care and support, regardless of whether or not the local authority thinks the individual has eligible needs. An assessment must seek to establish the total extent of needs before the local authority considers the person’s eligibility for care and support and what types of care and support can help to meet those needs Mental Health Mental Health Act 1983 Section 135(1) Provides for police officer to enter a private premises, if need be by force, to search for and, if thought fit, remove a person to a place of safety if certain grounds are met following assessment. The police officer must be accompanied by an Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) and a doctor.

• NB. Place of safety is usually the mental health unit,

but can be the Emergency Department of a general hospital, or anywhere willing to act as such. Consideration of S1, 2 of MHA 1983 could be used. Evidence must be laid before a magistrate by an AMHP that there is reasonable cause to believe that a person

• Is suffering from mental disorder and is

being

• Ill-treated, or
• Neglected, or
• Being kept other than under proper

control, or

• If living alone is unable to care for self

And that the action is a proportionate response to the risks involved. Information Sharing The Guide for Professionals on Sharing Information utilizes the key legislative frameworks Where someone could be harmed or harm

• thers, where a crime is likely or has taken

place and where someone could be coerced or harassed into decision making