Agenda item

To seek approval to the commencement of a 4-week consultation exercise on the proposed extension of Public Spaces Protection Orders.

Cabinet considered a report seeking approval for the commencement of a 4-week consultation exercise on the proposed extension of the Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) attached at Appendix 1 to the report.

North Tyneside Council was aware from its engagement work with residents, that they wanted the Authority to address environmental crime and deal with anti-social behaviour.

This was also a key priority for the Elected Mayor who had listened to residents and had supported the introduction of additional resources to tackle anti-social behaviour. This included an increase in the number of officers deployed to tackle anti-social behaviour issues, along with investment into the upgrade and expansion of the Authority’s CCTV capability, with over thirty cameras operating across the Borough.   This included three vehicles equipped with mobile camera units.

The Elected Mayor had also established an anti-social behaviour task force.  The task force met with partners including the police and fire service, to ensure there was a joined-up approach to tackling this important issue. 

In relation to Public Spaces Protection Orders, they were legal Orders that regulated the use of our public spaces across the Borough.  The Orders, referred to as PSPOs, were introduced in October 2017.  They controlled dogs and the consumption of alcohol.

When the PSPOs were made, they were to remain in force for a period of 3 years. The law prevented a longer period unless they were formally extended.  In September 2020, Cabinet approved the three-year extension of these Orders, which were now due to expire in October this year. 

It was therefore proposed that the Orders were extended by following the available legal process which included the need to undertake statutory consultation.  Following completion of the consultation exercise; the intention was to bring a report back to Cabinet so that an informed decision can be taken as to whether or not to extend the PSPOs.

Cabinet considered the following decision options: either to agree the recommendations as set out in section 1.2 of the report; or alternatively, to not accept the recommendations and instruct that an alternative approach was taken.

Resolved that (1)  the commencement of a 4-week consultation exercise on the proposed extension of the Public Space Protection Orders attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be approved;

(2) the Director of Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment and the Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Public Protection, be authorised to take all appropriate steps to undertake the consultation exercise and any ancillary matters relating to it; and

(3) a further report be received by Cabinet following the conclusion of the consultation exercise to consider the consultation responses and to determine if there were reasonable grounds for the Public Spaces Protection Orders to be extended for a further period of 3 years.

(Reason for decision:  Section 1.5.4 of the report explains that the PSPOs in place within the Borough will expire on 19 October 2023.  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 across the Borough.)