Case reopened

A recent “Case of the Week” featured Griffiths v St Helens MBC, and referred to “the difficulty the council has had in discharging its duty to Griffiths –not least because it transferred all its housing stock to Helena” (3 December, page 10).

That reference undermines the key issues in this case and diverts attention from the practical issues of addressing severe antisocial behaviour in the first instance, and the homelessness issues that may subsequently emerge.

Helena Housing, like most registered social landlords, works very closely with the local authority to address both crime and disorder and homelessness. The issues raised by this case have everything to do with the spirit of new anti-nuisance powers sitting uncomfortably with well-established principles of homelessness. It has absolutely nothing to do with who the landlord is.