Dudley Council is preparing to deploy drones to pursue and identify riders of illegal off-road motorbikes, as part of a major new crackdown on anti-social behaviour.
A Multi-Pronged Assault on Nuisance Behaviour
The authority's cabinet is set to discuss the suite of tough new measures at its meeting on December 10, 2025. The proposed policy represents a significant escalation in the council's efforts to tackle persistent problems blighting communities.
Council Leader, Councillor Patrick Harley, outlined the rationale behind the drone plan. He stated that off-road bikes are a "bane on peoples' lives," and that current restrictions prevent police and council officers from giving chase. The drones, funded by council savings, will be used to track riders, identify individuals, and follow them to where bikes are stored or where the riders live.
"Working with the police, [we can] arrest them and confiscate the bikes," said Cllr Harley, describing the perpetrators as "little toe-rags."
Mobile Units and Covert Surveillance
Beyond the aerial pursuit, the strategy includes deploying a mobile command centre to act as a visible deterrent in neighbourhoods plagued by reports of anti-social behaviour.
Furthermore, the council intends to use an unmarked vehicle equipped with surveillance technology. This cheaper mobile unit could be stationed in areas suffering from chronic issues like fly-tipping, gathering evidence to support enforcement action.
Tougher Stance on Problem Tenants and Housing
The crackdown extends to housing policy, with new resources for anti-social behaviour teams to build court cases. This could allow the council to override its duty to house individuals in extreme circumstances.
"On those extreme cases we can permanently exclude them from either bidding on a council property or residing in one," Cllr Harley explained.
Additionally, the council plans to significantly tighten the residency requirements for social housing. The current qualification of living or working in the borough for three years would be extended to seven or even ten years under the new policy.
If approved, these measures signal a robust and technologically-aided approach by Dudley Council to reclaim public spaces and hold persistent offenders to account.
