NEW powers to help the city council keep Leicester’s public spaces free from anti-social behaviour are to take effect from Wednesday (2 April).
Following a consultation exercise earlier this year, which indicated widespread support for the proposals, City Mayor Peter Soulsby has authorised the introduction of a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in the city centre that will empower the police and authorised council officers to take swift enforcement action against those causing a nuisance.
The new PSPO will cover the city centre within the inner ring road, together with the area around Leicester railway station, the entirety of New Walk, and the area between London Road and Regent Road as far as Granville Road.
Within the area covered by the PSPO, an individual will be in breach of the order - and committing a criminal offence - if they cause a nuisance by:
- using an e-bike, bike, skateboard or scooter irresponsibly
- consuming alcohol when asked to stop by an authorised officer
- using amplification equipment without authorisation
- begging
- collecting for charity without the council’s permission
- putting up a gazebo or other temporary structure without authorisation
From Wednesday 2 April, anyone breaching the PSPO in Leicester could face a fixed penalty notice of £100, rising to £1,000 if prosecution leads to a conviction.
City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “Like all big cities, Leicester has seen a rise in anti-social behaviour in recent years – and it’s clearly affecting people’s enjoyment of our streets and spaces.
“Whether it’s problems associated with street drinking or begging, the unauthorised use of amplification equipment, or the irresponsible use of e-bikes and scooters, these behaviours are a nuisance – and they need to stop.
“I’m determined that we use all the tools at our disposal to tackle the behaviour of the individuals who are spoiling the city centre for the rest of us, and it’s clear from the consultation that the majority of the population want us to take action too.
“I’m very pleased that this Public Spaces Protection Order will give us new powers to address these persistent nuisances. And if these measures lead to improvements in the city centre, we’ll look at introducing further PSPOs in other parts of the city too.”
The full order and accompanying documents can be seen online at cabinet.leicester.gov.uk
Public Spaces Protection Orders were introduced by the government as part of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime & Policing Act 2014 and can be used by councils to target a range of issues in a defined public area.
Once adopted, each PSPO is valid for three years.
The online consultation in Leicester was launched on 20 January this year and ran for four weeks. A total of 1,139 responses were received, with the majority of respondents supporting the introduction of measures to tackle the issues outlined in the consultation.
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