Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services that sought approval of the renewal of the City Centre Public Spaces Protection Order.

A Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) was created and approved in 2017 to address a number of behaviours within the City Centre that it was felt needed controlling. The behaviours included Street Trading, Busking, Begging, amongst others.

PSPO’s were only permitted to run for 3 years and at that point either expire or an application be made to renew. The City Centre PSPO was due to expire on 16^th July 2023 and approval to renew the current Order for another 3 years was being sought as it was felt that the existing order had worked well in its intention to address problematic behaviours and would benefit from those conditions being retained.

The City Centre PSPO assisted in addressing problematic behaviours and simplified the response of officers from the Police and the Council in dealing with various anti-social activities. It was quick and easy to use, which was an important consideration when both organisations were facing reductions in resources. It also had the added benefit of enabling the offender to accept a fixed penalty notice rather than appear in court and receive a criminal record. The wording of the proposed PSPO and a map of the area that would be covered by the City Centre PSPO were set out in Appendices to the report. Further Appendices detailed the Summary of Responses from Key Partners, and the Enforcement Activity for the Existing Order.

Progress on the implementation of the PSPO would be submitted to the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee in due course.

Members requested that Parking Services be formally made aware that Cabinet had asked that they have more of a presence in the Burges area of the City Centre, to address illegal and inconsiderate parking.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet:

1)  Approves the renewal of the current City Centre Public Space Protection Order, including the area covered by the Order as set out in Appendices 1 and 2 to the report.

2)  Authorises officers to bring the Order into effect on 14th July 2023, prior to the expiry date of the previous Order.