Plans to be made to ensure playground vandalism halted

BARNSLEY’s councillors will hear whether or not there are plans to introduce a measure to protect play areas from vandals next week.

At Thursday’s full council meeting, Coun Jake Lodge, who represents the Worsbrough ward, will ask whether a Public Space Protection Order will be brought in. Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) are intended to deal with nuisance or problems in an area that cause harm to the quality of life of the local community.

The power to make the order was given to district councils by the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

He said: “Parks and play areas across the borough have been subjected to mindless vandalism over several years, which has seen thousands of pounds of damage to parks and play areas in Worsbrough alone. Will the council work to introduce a Public Space Protection Order, as it has done to cover moorland and the town centre, to protect our parks and play areas from further mindless vandalism?”