Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council is again working together with the University of Hertfordshire to provide the successful, extended noise nuisance call-out service (Sunday-Thursday, 10pm-3am). This service will operate for two weeks, from 16 May to 31 May, to coincide with the end of term and the University’s exam period.

Last year saw the extended noise service manage 118 calls from residents affected by excessive noise created by a wide range of sources, not only students. The normal out-of-hours noise service (Operation Reprise) which operates on Friday and Saturday nights, annually deals with over 450 complaints.

The council has powers to deal with noise that causes disturbance from many different sources including houses, pubs and factories, parties, animals, and car and house alarms.

Extensive work has also been carried out by the University recently to educate students about their behaviour within the community. It is hoped that this year, complaints to the service will be fewer than in previous years.

Councillor Bernard Sarson, Executive Member for Governance and Public Health, said: “Some instances of noise nuisance can be resolved by a request to simply ‘turn the volume down’ but where necessary, we have powers to intervene, mediate and – if necessary – take action. This service has worked very well in the past and we’ve received some excellent feedback from residents about its success in bringing them a more peaceful night.”

Geraldine Ward, Deputy Dean of Students at the University, said: “We are pleased to be working in partnership with the borough council to address residents concerns about noise, for a fourth year.”

Contact numbers for residents

* Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council Environmental Health – 01707 357242 (office hours)

* Extended call out service - 0800 1114484 (16 May-31 May, Sunday to Thursday, 10pm-3am)

* Operation Reprise -101 (Police) or 0800 1114484 (Council) (weekend service, on Fridays and Saturdays 10pm-3am)