DRINKING IN STREET TO BE BANNED IN THREE TOWNS
NEW orders are set to be introduced to improve community safety by restricting on-street drinking in three Moorlands towns.
At last week’s meeting of the ruling cabinet of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, members agreed to carry out consultation, publication and notification in relation to a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) being adopted in Leek, Cheadle and Biddulph.
Cabinet member for communities, Councillor Mike Bowen, below, said: “Anti-social behaviour can affect the quality of life for people. The police have asked for the new order.”
In a written report to councillors, executive director and monitoring officer Mark Trillo said: “The Antisocial Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 gives local authorities the power to introduce a PSPO to control behaviours in a public place, which have caused or may cause a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality and are likely to be of a continuing or persistent nature and are therefore unreasonable.
“The consumption of alcohol in Leek, Biddulph and Cheadle town centres can result in increased anti-social behaviour and may lead to other more serious criminal offences.
“This, in turn, places an increased demand on police resources, promotes a fear of crime, and has negative economic and reputational consequences for the locations.
“Cans and bottles associated with on-street drinking are often discarded on streets and footpaths, resulting in an increase in litter.
“This has a negative impact on the appearance of the town centres, attracts a clean-up cost, and can encourage further littering.
“Prior to 2017, Leek and Cheadle town centres were covered by Designated Public Places Orders (DPPOS) which were introduced by the district council to tackle anti-social behaviour associated with alcohol consumption in the town centres.
“Under the orders, a police officer had the power to require a person to stop drinking alcohol or confiscate their alcohol if they were behaving (or were likely to behave) anti-socially.
“If the person refused to hand over the alcohol, the police officer could issue them with a fixed penalty notice.
“The DPPOS automatically converted to Public Spaces Protection Orders by operation of law in 2017.
“A PSPO lasts for a maximum of three years, and thus the orders expired in October 2020.
“The introduction of a PSPO by the district council could help to reduce the occurrence of anti-social behaviour, criminal behaviour and littering by prohibiting the consumption of alcohol in non-designated places in the town centres.
“The previous DPPOS and PSPOS acted as a deterrent to problematic drinking, but historically very few fixed penalties were issued for such offences.
“The council’s licensing team are supportive of the recommendations, and do not see any conflict with the lawful operation of licensed premises in the affected areas.”