Anti-social behaviour order could be extended for 3 years
AN order aimed at reducing anti social behaviour in Rochdale town centre could be extended for another three years.
The Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) was introduced in July 2018, and now that the three years the order lasts are coming to an end, Rochdale Borough Council is looking to renew it.
The order can be used to force people causing trouble to disperse from the town centre - or face fines of up to £100.
Leader of the Council, Coun Allen Brett has welcomed plans to extend the order.
He said: “We will do all we can to answer civil liberty questions but at the end of the day the PSPO is for people who are being harassed.
“It’s not just the elderly but the young students that are being harassed.
“Just this morning I have been asked twice for money. The beggars are a problem which we need to discourage. There is an app for giving if people want to and we are trying to give everyone a bed for the night as well as providing other solutions.”
In 2018, Yorkshire Street saw the highest area of anti-social behaviour incidents - 11 in total.
Regal Moon and Broadfield Park were other areas seeing ASB, and some incidents included beggars.
GMP Rochdale analysts stated that: “Overall ASB incidents have reduced significantly over the reporting period from 50 in 2018 to 7 in 2020 (up to October 28 2020).
“Only three of the incidents in 2018 referred to beggars, however there were five in 2019 and 2020. Although it is positive that demand has reduced due to a police presence in the town centre, it is assessed that there are still incidents occurring that are not being reported to the police.”
However, despite the low numbers recorded by police, Rochdale Borough Council (RBC) say they have seen a high number of incidents associated with the current PSPO and wider anti-social behaviour within the town centre.
Between July 2018 and March 2020, there were 539 incidents linked to the restrictions of the existing PSPO that authorised officers of the Council (Town Centre Enforcement Wardens) were directly involved in.
These incidents were beggars, vehicle incidents, ASB, drugs and alcohol, with 50 incidents classified as “other” in 2020, which were revealed through CCTV commissioned by the council.
More than 31 fines were handed out for begging.
Despite lockdown restrictions, ASB in the town has remained “disproportionately high”, which is part of the reason the council are hoping to extend the order. It will be discussed at the council’s full Cabinet meeting on March 30.