The report sets out proposals to introduce a Borough Wide Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) following a public consultation that was undertaken between 21 July 2025 – 7 September 2025.

Further to Minute 9 of the meeting of the Housing, Neighbourhoods and Leisure (HNL) Committee held on 9 July 2025, the Committee considered a report setting out proposals to introduce a Borough Wide Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) following a public consultation.  The following documents were attached to the report:

·         Appendix A - Consultation responses.

·         Appendix B - Supporting evidence

·         Appendix C - Equalities Impact Assessment

·         Appendix D - Council response to consultation comments.

·         Appendix E - Draft PSPO Order

The report noted that the HNL Committee had agreed that a public consultation be carried out on a proposal to introduce a Borough Wide PSPO which would provide an additional tool to tackle four key types of behaviour: Begging, Street Drinking, Anti-social use of E-bikes and E-scooters and Dog Control and Fouling.  Local councils were responsible for making PSPOs, which was a power intended to address anti-social behaviour in a designated public space.  PSPOs were intended to improve the quality of life in communities by restricting or prohibiting certain activities in a public area which had caused the community a detrimental impact.

The report set out the feedback from the public consultation that had been undertaken between 21 July 2025 and 7 September 2025, as well as concerns highlighted by respondents and the Council’s responses to these concerns.  Following the completion of the consultation and review of the evidence, an assessment had been made to ensure that the Council was satisfied that, on reasonable grounds the two required conditions to implement a PSPO were met: that activities being carried out within a public place had had a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality or it was likely they would, and that the effect, or likely effect, of these activities was, or was likely to be, of a persistent or continuing nature, such as to make the activities unreasonable.

The report summarised the implications of introducing a PSPO and outlined the arrangements for its implementation and monitoring.  It was proposed to carry out a yearly review to review effectiveness and ensure there were no unintended consequences. A PSPO Implementation Project Board would manage the monitoring and measuring of the PSPO.

Resolved -

(1)        That the outcome of the public consultation on the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) be noted;

(2)        That the PSPO be introduced as set out in the report;

(3)        That the Executive Director for Communities and Adult Social Care, in consultation with the Assistant Director of Legal & Democratic Services and the Lead Councillor for Environmental Services and Community Safety, be authorised to finalise and publish the proposed conditions for the PSPO as set out in paragraph 3.8 of the report, subject to final legal drafting;

(4)        That the consequences of breach as being a Fixed Penalty Notice of £100 as an alternative to prosecution which carried a maximum fine of £1000 be agreed;

(5)        That the creation of a PSPO Implementation Project Board to oversee implementation and communications activity be noted.