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Consultation has concluded
Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) specify an area where activities are taking place that are or may likely be detrimental to the local community's quality of life. PSPOs impose conditions or restrictions on people using that area.
In 2017 the Council introduced a PSPO (Public Spaces Protection Order) that allowed the Council to deal with measures to reduce anti-social behaviour in the town centre around alcohol and persistent begging. We know that anti-social behaviour can detrimentally affect people's quality of life and we want to ensure that everyone is able to enjoy public spaces in our town centre, which are safe and welcoming. In 2020, the PSPO was reviewed which led to it remaining in place. It has now been three years and we are required to carry out another review.
A review undertaken with community safety partners has found that the existing PSPO remains an effective tool against specific forms of anti-social behaviour. The existence of the enforcement tool acts as an effective deterrent against the anti-social behaviour associated with drinking and against persistent begging. Kent Police use the PSPO to challenge those behaving inappropriately as a result of alcohol. Alongside other legislation, the PSPO provides the police with legislation to engage, explain and encourage appropriate behaviour, using enforcement as a last resort. The PSPO similarly provides an excellent deterrent against persistent begging and enables our proactive outreach team to support those in need instead by helping them to access funds and support appropriately.
The results of this survey will inform if these measures will be continued, with a decision due to made in Summer 2023 by the Communities, Housing & Environment Committee.
Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) specify an area where activities are taking place that are or may likely be detrimental to the local community's quality of life. PSPOs impose conditions or restrictions on people using that area.
In 2017 the Council introduced a PSPO (Public Spaces Protection Order) that allowed the Council to deal with measures to reduce anti-social behaviour in the town centre around alcohol and persistent begging. We know that anti-social behaviour can detrimentally affect people's quality of life and we want to ensure that everyone is able to enjoy public spaces in our town centre, which are safe and welcoming. In 2020, the PSPO was reviewed which led to it remaining in place. It has now been three years and we are required to carry out another review.
A review undertaken with community safety partners has found that the existing PSPO remains an effective tool against specific forms of anti-social behaviour. The existence of the enforcement tool acts as an effective deterrent against the anti-social behaviour associated with drinking and against persistent begging. Kent Police use the PSPO to challenge those behaving inappropriately as a result of alcohol. Alongside other legislation, the PSPO provides the police with legislation to engage, explain and encourage appropriate behaviour, using enforcement as a last resort. The PSPO similarly provides an excellent deterrent against persistent begging and enables our proactive outreach team to support those in need instead by helping them to access funds and support appropriately.
The results of this survey will inform if these measures will be continued, with a decision due to made in Summer 2023 by the Communities, Housing & Environment Committee.
People being drunk or rowdy in public places was the behaviour that had the greatest proportion stating this is worse than it was three years age at 46%. However, proportion of people responding negatively regarding people loitering in public places had the greatest increase compared to the 2020 survey (an increase of 12.4 percent points).
People loitering in public places was the behaviour that had the greatest proportion stating this has ‘stayed about the same’, across the behaviours this also have the greatest proportion that answered this way in the 2020 survey.
When asked questions about behaviour change in the last three years, economically active respondents were consistently more likely than economically inactive respondents to state that the behaviour being asked about had gotten worse in the last three years.
The top themes arising from the comments about behaviours seen or experienced in the town centre were: young people, large groups/gangs and alcohol & drunken behaviour.
Support for both measures was strong with over nine in ten respondents supportive of continuing with measure 1- street drinking in an anti-social manner and more than four in five respondents in favour of continuing with measure 2 - Deterring unauthorised collections of money on the street or loitering for such purpose (persistent begging).
Lifecycle
Open
Town Centre PSP0 (2023 Review) has finished this stage
This consultation is open for contributions.
Under Review
Town Centre PSP0 (2023 Review) has finished this stage
Contributions to this consultation are closed for evaluation and review. The project team will report back on key outcomes.
Final report
Town Centre PSP0 (2023 Review) is currently at this stage
The final outcomes of the consultation are documented here. This may include a summary of all contributions collected as well as recommendations for future action.
