Issue - meetings

This report informs Cabinet of the findings of a public consultation exercise to review the existing Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) which expires on 31 March 2020.  The report recommends to Cabinet options for a new PSPO to be effective from 1 April 2020.

The Cabinet

            RESOLVED – That

(1)  Option 2 be adopted for the provision of a new Public Spaces Protection Order;

(2)  Option 2 contains the following restrictions and requirements at all times.  The order and geographical areas are as set out in Appendix B of the report:

(a)  Alcohol Restriction

No person shall refuse to stop drinking alcohol or refuse to hand over any container believed to contain alcohol when required to do so by an authorised Officer

(b)  Anti-Social Behaviour

All persons are prohibited from behaving in a way which causes or is likely to cause nuisance, harassment, alarm or distress to a member or members of the public

(3)  The new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) is implemented and effective from 1 April 2020; and

(4)  A sum of £10,000 is allocated for the promotion and signage of the agreed PSPO.

The Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing, Councillor Mrs Yeates, presented this item stating that the current PSPO in Arun would expire on 31 March 2020 and Cabinet was being asked to consider two proposals and to confirm its preferred option for a new order to be effective from 1 April 2020 to March 2023.  She explained that both options had been formulated from both public and Member consultations that had taken place last year and in January 2020.

The report outlined the scope and purpose of the proposed PSPO options, the legal requirements of making such an order along with the outcomes of the consultation and an options appraisal matrix to assist the Cabinet in making its decision.  Councillor Mrs Yeates stated that she had pleasure in welcoming Chief Inspector Jon Carter, the District Commissioner for Arun, to the meeting who had worked closely with the Council, however, it had to be emphasised that it was the Council who had responsibility for deciding and making the order.

The Chairman then invited the Group Head of Community Wellbeing to present the highlights of his report.  He reminded Members that the Council was obliged to consult on any new order that it wished to make and that an extensive consultation exercise had been undertaken to consider the options for the new order.  He reminded Members that it was the Council who made the new order for the benefit of its communities, but that the enforcement of it would be a joint endeavour between the Council, its agents and Sussex Police.

The purpose of the order was to tackle anti-social behaviour in geographically defined areas based on reported incidents and the likelihood that anti-social behaviour would have a detrimental effect on the lives of those living in the community. Where these incidents had been identified, consideration had been given to either a prohibition or a restriction of activities that promulgated such behaviours.  Members were asked to note that where a prohibition was proposed, this would affect everyone in the restricted area.

            The two proposals offered for consideration had evolved following consultation in accordance with PSPO guidelines.  Proposals were then offered for public consultation and resulted in 749 responses.  These had been summarised in Section 1.2 of the report.  Finally, a workshop had been held for all Members of the Council to explain the proposals put forward.  The two proposals for the Cabinet to consider were:

Option 1 – an alcohol-free zone in the Town Centres of Bognor Regis and Littlehampton and an alcohol restriction across a wider area of both Towns, which included a prohibition for behaving in an antisocial manner; and

            Option 2 – which was the same as option 1, but without the alcohol-free zones in             the Town Centres.

Finally, Cabinet’s attention was drawn to the resources available to enforce the current PSPO and any new order.  These were the Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour Caseworkers, Sussex Police and if suitably qualified, agents such as the Business Wardens.

The Chairman then invited Chief  ...  view the full minutes text for item 431