City centre street ban legal order ‘is too late’

THE introduction of a Birmingham city centre public spaces protection order is ‘‘three years too late’’, a leading councillor has claimed.

The cabinet this week agreed to a public spaces protection order (PSPO) for the city centre, which would give police greater powers to combat anti-social behaviour and includes a ban on threats or abuse and anti-social street drinking.

Under the new measures, police would work under a three strike system where offenders are issued with a written warning on their first offence, a ticket on their second offence and finally a Fixed Penalty Notice or summons to court on the third breach.

Introduction of the PSPO follows an extensive public consultation undertaken by the council last year, with 93.8 per cent of respondents agreeing it was the best solution to tackle antisocial behaviour in the city centre.

And deputy leader of the Conservative group, Cllr Ewan Mackey (Sutton Roughley) believes that the measures should have been introduced far sooner.

“I think this is about three years too late,” he said. “I welcome its introduction but I’d’ve liked to have seen it bought in sooner.

“I think residents, businesses, police have been very keen to see this introduced – there’s been a knock-on effect I think, and while this has been delayed some of the PSPOs elsewhere in the city have been held up as well.

“So I welcome it; it’s just a shame that it wasn’t here sooner.”

Introduction of the new measures has led many to fear for the city’s homeless community, with concerns that begging may be criminalised under the PSPO.

However, speaking at this week’s meeting, a council officer insisted that every effort would be taken to work with the city’s homeless and ensure that the new measures did not result in homeless people being forced out of the city centre.

“Our approach in Birmingham is always to offer that hand of support and friendship first, and we listen very closely to the advice given to us but also our partners in the homelessness, drug and alcohol mental health support sectors,” he said.

“I absolutely want to give you a reassurance that we’re going to look at that issue around disbursal carefully.”