Proposed changes to Worcester’s Public Space Protection Orders

 Worcester's City councillors will be asked to review three Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) as they come to the end of their three-year period, following a public consultation.

PSPOs are used by local councils to protect the public from behaviour that can have a detrimental effect on people's quality of life.

Worcester's PSPOs cover dogs, alcohol and potentially disruptive behaviour in the city centre. PSPOs are part of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 and have to be reviewed every three years, with the views of local residents being taken into account.

Members of the City Council's Communities Committee are to be asked to back alterations to some elements of these PSPOs.

Among the changes they will be asked to approve is the discontinuation of a city centre PSPO which currently covers three categories of potentially anti-social behaviour – aggressive begging, dangerous skateboarding and cycling, and intentionally feeding gulls. A review has concluded that people are no longer feeding the gulls and the issues of aggressive begging and dangerous skateboarding and cycling can be dealt with using alternative legislation.

An Alcohol PSPO is currently in force in Worcester city centre, Blackpole Industrial Estate, Gheluvelt Park, Shap Drive, Brickfields Playing Fields and Rose Avenue. This PSPO gives powers to the police to stop individuals if they are causing a nuisance and confiscate alcohol from them.

A report to the Communities committee says that there is no evidence that the prohibition is still required at Blackpole Industrial Estate, Shap Drive, Brickfields Playing Fields or Rose Avenue, so these locations will be removed from the order. It is however, recommended that Pitchcroft and Riverside Park are added to this list as there is evidence of alcohol-related antisocial behaviour in the two locations.

The third PSPO currently in force in Worcester is regarding dog control, covering the entire city. This order requires dog owners to clean up after their pets, prohibits dogs from being taken into any area where they are not allowed, and stipulates that no more than four dogs may be under the supervision of one person. There are no suggested changes to this one.

Councillor Jabba Riaz, Chair of Worcester City Council's Communities Committee, said: "We have to review PSPOs every three years and it is important that we take into account residents' opinions when assessing whether the PSPOs are still relevant and effective and what changes need to be made."

The updated PSPOs will be discussed at a meeting of the Communities Committee on March 13.