THE blight of nuisance noise will be the focus for Sedgemoor District Council during Noise Action Week.

In the last 12 months Sedgemoor District Council has received 370 complaints about noise - everything from the playing loud music, excessive dog barking, DIY at unreasonable times through to people shouting.

From those complaints the council served 7 statutory noise abatement notices on those people who continued to impose their unreasonable noisy behaviour on their neighbours.

The council also prosecuted three people for causing noise nuisance to their neighbours and also seized speakers, hi-fi equipment, mixing decks and instruments belonging to those people.

As a whole local authorities receive more complaints about noise every year than on any other subject.

As well as councils housing providers, mediation services and the police are also frequently involved in resolving noise disputes - so this represents a “huge amount of time and money”.

Preventing noise problems is much cheaper than curing them and as noise is also a public health indicator and a government target due to the negative health effects.

A spokesperson for Sedgemoor District Council said ‘Sedgemoor District Council takes noises complaints very seriously. Once we receive a complaint we will ask the complainant to complete diary sheets for about 3 weeks so we can build up a pattern and evidence file of the noise being experienced.

We will then assess if the noise is likely to be a nuisance and if so we may install noise monitoring equipment into the property. During this time, whilst holding all of the complainants details in the strictest of confidence, we also contact the alleged perpetrator so they are aware their behaviour is causing a disturbance.

If monitoring equipment readings show that a statutory nuisance is being caused the Council will serve a notice and may remove the offending equipment’.

To make a complaint about noise contact Sedgemoor District Council’s Environmental Health Service with your name, address, and the details of the noise affecting you and the address of the property or business causing you concern. Please call 0845 408 2540, 01278 435435 or email customer.services@sedgemoor.gov.uk. You can also visit the offices in Bridgwater House, King Square, Bridgwater, TA6 3AR between 8.45am-5pm Monday to Friday.