Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director Environmental Services and Community Safety.

The Assistant Director of Environmental Services and Community Safety submitted a report (previously circulated) which provided information on the Consultation of the Renewal of the Town Centre Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) and Introduction of a Borough Wide Public Space Protection Order. A final report would be presented to Cabinet in June to consider and make a decision.

The existing PSPO covered the Town Centre and came into force on the 2 July 2022, it is due to expire on the 1 July 2025. The current town PSPO provides the Council with the powers to deal with the following: Persons acting in an anti-social manner who continue to drink alcohol in public places where are not licensed premises, after they have been asked to stop. Persons acting in an antisocial manner who fail to surrender any alcohol in their possession in a public place and not a licensed premises, when asked to do so. As well as begging and threatening behaviour.

The report explained that the Council must be satisfied on reasonable grounds that certain conditions had been met to renew or introduce a PSPO, officers reviewed the evidence and are satisfied that the required conditions had been met to consider the renewal of the order.

It also explained that there are some new considerations that are to be consulted, it was proposed to extend the area covered by the PSPO to include Victoria Road from the Station entrance area to Feethams due to the experiences of ASB covered by the PSPO. There are two new activities that the Council receives complaints about in the Town Centre that cause issues to the public and business which are Feeding Birds and Anti-Social use of bicycles, scooters, skates and skateboards within the Town Centre.

The report also detailed that other authorities have borough wide PSPO’s for certain circumstances, based on experience and evidence from Civic Enforcement Team this could be considered for certain issues because of the impact on communities, financially and service delivery. The proposed powers to deter and assist with the management are Begging, Side Waste and Stray Dogs.

Discussion ensued around the current issues with pigeons in the Town Centre and how this can affect the cleanliness, Members wanted to understand the enforcement around of cycling in the Town Centre and whether this would only affect any antisocial behaviour.

Members asked for further clarification around begging and whether fines would be introduced as well as repeat offends for stray dogs.

RESOLVED – That Members noted the report and approved consultation on the renewal of a revised Town Centre PSPO as outlined in this report and the introduction of a Borough wide PSPO as outlined in this report.