Agenda item

To seek approval for the commencement of a 6-week consultation exercise on a proposal to extend the Public Spaces Protection Orders within the borough covering the control of dogs and the consumption of alcohol in public spaces for a further three years. 

Cabinet received a report seeking approval for the commencement of a 6-week consultation exercise on a proposal to extend the Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) within the borough for a further three years.

Tackling environmental crime was a key priority of the Elected Mayor and Cabinet to ensure that North Tyneside remained a great place to live, work and visit. Having legal powers available to effectively manage and enforce environmental crime was essential to the quality of life of the community.  PSPOs provided the Authority with an important enforcement tool.

In October 2017, Cabinet had approved the making of PSPOs within the borough covering the control of dogs and the consumption of alcohol in public spaces.  PSPOs could not last for more than 3 years therefore the PSPOs currently in place would expire in October 2020. 

It was proposed that these PSPOs were extended for a further 3 years using the powers available to do so. 

Should Cabinet approve commencement of the consultation exercise on extending the PSPOs a comprehensive engagement plan would be finalised.  The Act required the Authority to consult with the Chief Officer of Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner, the owner or occupier of land within restricted areas, and community representatives the Authority thought  appropriate.

The engagement plan would meet both the statutory requirements and the Authority’s recognised corporate standards for consultation.  Due regard would be given to the on-going restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The consultation responses would be collated and analysed with recommendations being brought back to a future Cabinet meeting so that an informed decision could be taken as to the whether to extend the PSPOs.

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport highlighted the Authority’s commitment in addressing environment crime and anti-social behaviour across the borough. The Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Engagement, echoed Councillor Johnson’s comments, and as Chair of the Safer North Tyneside Partnership, confirmed this was a key priority in the Authority’s Community Safety Strategy.

Cabinet considered the following decision options: to accept the recommendation as set out in paragraph 1.2 of the report, or alternatively, to not approve the recommendations.

Resolved that (1) the commencement of a 6-week consultation exercise on the proposed extension of the Public Space Protection Orders, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be approved;

(2) the Head of Environment, Housing and Leisure, in consultation with the Cabinet Member

for Environment and Transport and the Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Engagement, be authorised to undertake all appropriate steps to undertake the consultation exercise and any ancillary matters relating to it; and

(3) Cabinet receive a further report following the conclusion of the consultation exercise to

consider the consultation responses and to determine if there are reasonable grounds for the Public Space Protection Orders to be extended for a further period of 3 years.

(Reasons for decision: The PSPOs in place within the borough will expire on 19 October 2020.  If the PSPOs are not extended before their expiry they will cease to have effect resulting in the Authority having no controls in place to tackle anti-social behaviour relating to dogs and alcohol and the detrimental effect that such behaviour can have on the quality of life of those in the community.)

At this point the Elected Mayor thanked the Young Mayor and partners for attending the meeting.