Newcastle City Council has reported a decrease in anti-social behaviour (ASB) and noise complaints in Jesmond over the past year.

It attributes the positive change to increased police patrols and collaborative efforts between the council, police, and the two universities – also known as Operation Oak.

A spokesperson from Newcastle City Council emphasised the council’s commitment to addressing anti-social behaviour.

He said: “Tackling anti-social behaviour is one of our key priorities.”

The council has implemented high-visibility patrols in residential areas, encouraging residents and students to report any concerns directly to officers.

A spokesperson in the council press office provided the following data to JesmondLocal about the number of anti-social behaviour incidents in the last year or more:

The data for the first two months of each academic year show a 34% year-on-year drop in incidents in September, and a 28% year-on-year drop in October.

The collaborative approach involving universities, police, and the council includes joint visits to properties where noise and ASB have been reported.

The spokesperson highlighted the success of this strategy, noting a reduction in complaints over the past year due to the collective efforts undertaken.

Despite the positive trend, some students and residents have differing opinions on the increased police presence.

Chelsea Bacon, a 20-year-old student at Newcastle University, living in Jesmond, said she “doesn’t like the idea of more police patrols around the area”. She also highlighted a controversial opinion that some students have about the make-up of Jesmond residents more generally. She added: “locals shouldn’t live in student areas if they don’t like being around students.”

Mike Hunter, a 55-year-old resident living on Grosvenor Avenue, acknowledged the positive aspects students bring to Jesmond. He said: “They bring energy, positivity, cash flow, and life”.

Hunter added residents don’t dislike students living in Jesmond, they only have issues when it comes to littering and loud noise. However, he expressed concern about the influx of student houses encroaching on residential areas and “driving families out” of Jesmond.

Zoe Garrett, a 21-year-old student at Newcastle University, told JesmondLocal that they had seen house parties being shut down and fined as a first warning due to noise violations occurring between 11pm and 7am, according to regulations outlined on the Newcastle City Council website.

Northumbria Police, along with the council, encourage residents in the area and students to report any ASB or loud noise complaints.

To report ASB call police on 101 or visit the ‘Tell Us Something’ page on their website. In an emergency dial 999. You can also report issues such as environmental problems, graffiti, and noise complaints to the council at 0191 278 7878. Operation Oak currently operates on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights from 10pm to 4am.