Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO)
What are PSPOs?
The current restrictions were introduced in 2016 to deal with a range of issues including dog fouling, excluding dogs from certain areas (such as play areas) and restrictions to deal with emerging anti-social behaviour trends at that time. A PSPO can be made for a maximum duration of up to three years, after which it may be extended, varied of discharged for up to a further 3 years.
If anyone fails to meet the requirements of the PSPO or to comply with a request from a police office, police community support officer (PCSO) or authorised council officer, they could be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) of up to £100 or prosecuted. However, these measures are designed to deal with extremes of anti-social behaviour and authorised officers will take a proportionate and common sense approach in their application.
Variation, extension and discharge of 2016 restrictions
East Herts Council has worked with the Police and partners to review the restrictions in place since 2016 to ensure they are still proportionate and effective. The proposals included extending the dog control restrictions by another 3 years and varying these to include some parish council play areas and open spaces.
It was proposed that the restrictions relating to anti-social behaviour will be discharged and removed from the order. This is after careful consideration and evaluation of their use. There are a range of other measures to deal with individuals involved in anti-social behaviour that can be more effective and targeted in terms of addressing the identified problems.
East Herts Community Safety Partnership continues to work in collaboratively to ensure the district remains a safe place to live, work and visit. The previous PSPO conditions were imposed as agencies felt they were needed to address those issues. However, experience has shown that other, more specific legislative tools within the ASB Crime and Policing Act 2014 are proving more effective.
The CSP recognises that a blanket wide PSPO is not needed as the majority of residents and visitors are law abiding citizens. Instead the CSP wants to focus its resources and attention on those who do not and take the most appropriate action against them. Agencies continually monitor crime trends and data and should there be an evidential need for a PSPO then this would be considered and consultation taken. In addition, agencies are also looking at ways to improve engagement with communities to help set priorities. By improving this engagement agencies will be able to take the most appropriate action; which on occasion could be a PSPO but one that is proportionate and specific to an area rather than a district wide one. Should you wish to be involved in priority setting please contact community.safety@eastherts.gov.uk
A consultation took place over the winter of 2018-19 and the majority of the respondents agreed with the proposals.
Click to view the revised Public Spaces Protection Order 24-04-19 for more information.
Click to view the Schedule 1 - List of Areas for Dog Control Measures 24-04-2019 of areas
For more information on dog fouling and measures to tackle irresponsible dog owners read our page on Dog Fouling & Control page
More information about anti-social behaviour is available on our Anti Social Behaviour page.
Want to know more about PSPOs?
Information about Public Spaces Protection Orders can be found in section 2.6 of the Home Office document Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014: Reform of anti-social behaviour powers