Decision details

·         Continuing the revitalisation and improvement of our vibrant town centre and public spaces – if we do not effectively address the anti-social behaviour and associated damage arising at the town centre east car park, this will reduce the attractiveness of this public facility for our customers and visitors to the town.

·         Achieving a cleaner and greener sustainable environment for residents and visitors – the PSPO will help reduce the damage arising through vandalism and the unnecessary expenditure and carbon emissions relating to the work needed to repeatedly address such damage.

·         Delivering services to meet the needs of our residents and communities – the PSPO responds to concerns about anti-social behaviour raised by local residents and users of the town centre east car park.

·         Do nothing – this would not address the criminal behaviour taking place in the car park on a regular and documented basis.

·         Provide alternative facilities to divert perpetrators of antisocial behaviour towards other activities – other youth activities (such as skate ramps at Pittville and Montpellier) are already available and whilst these could and may be added to in the future, there is no guarantee that this approach would be successful in preventing criminal damage, notwithstanding the timescale and costs associated with such projects.

A public consultation was undertaken for a period of 12 weeks between 26th March and 18th June 2021, resulting in 21 responses which form Appendix 3 to the officer report.

The Cabinet Member Customer and Regulatory Services was also consulted on the proposal to make a PSPO.

21 consultation responses were received, 8 of which were broadly against the implementation of the PSPO and the remaining 13 responses were in support of the Order.

Generally, responses against the implementation of the Order were concerns over targeting younger individuals with fines. Alternatively, consultees have made suggestions that the Council should offer more facilities within the Borough that could attract positive use by younger individuals i.e. more skateboarding, park and AstroTurf sports facilities. In contrast, both local residents and businesses supported the implementation on the basis of continued and persistent noise, ASB (vandalism/shouting/swearing), urination and defaecation, drug related issues and criminal damage having a consistently detrimental effect on the area and their standard of living. These are attached at Appendix 2 of this report.

The Cabinet Member Customer and Regulatory Services is in agreement with the council proceeding to make the PSPO.