Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPO) were introduced by the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
PSPO’s are intended to deal with a particular nuisance or problem in a particular area that is detrimental to the local community’s quality of life, by imposing conditions on the use of that area which apply to everyone.
In Wales a PSPO is made by county councils or county borough councils. PSPO’s can be made by a council if they are satisfied on reasonable grounds that the activities carried out, or likely to be carried out, in a public place:
- have had, or are likely to have, a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality;
- is, or is likely to be, persistent or continuing in nature;
- is, or is likely to be, unreasonable; and
- Justifies the restrictions imposed by the notice
A PSPO is an order that identifies the public place and prohibits specified things being done in the restricted area and/or requires specified things to be done by persons carrying on specified activities in that area. The order is in place for 3 years and the Local Authority must consult with the chief officer of the police and the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) before issuing the order.
Breach of a PSPO is a criminal offence and possible sanctions include a fixed penalty notice of £100 or a level 3 fine (on conviction).
Example:
The PSPO can be used to stop a group from using a public square as a skateboard park and at the same time discourage drunken anti-social behaviour in the same place by making it an offence not to hand over containers of alcohol when asked to do so. It can also be used to prevent dogs fouling a public park or being taken into a children’s play area within that park.
MCC have issued a number of PSPO’s to tackle Anti-Social Behaviour in Abergavenny and Monmouth. There is a generic PSPO on all MCC Car Parks which deter anti-social use of motor vehicles, as well music and amplified music from those vehicles.
For further information contact: CommunitySafety@monmouthshire.gov.uk or telephone 01633 644210.
