Town Centre and Bellevue Park Proposed Public Space Protection Notice

Town Centre and Bellevue Park Proposed Public Space Protection Notice

Why are we doing this?: 

Proposed Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) The Town Centre, Wrexham and Bellevue Park Wrexham.

As a resident, visitor or business owner in the area it is likely that you will be aware of issues of anti-social behaviour which occur in these areas.

Examples of this behaviour include;

•Rough sleeping;

•Drug abuse; and intoxication from that

•Drinking alcohol and under the influence of such

North Wales Police, Wrexham County Borough Council and partner agencies have tried over the years to find a solution to this problem to alleviate the disturbance and detrimental effect on the quality of life of residents and also those who wish to use the park and/or visit the town centre.

In October 2014 the Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 was introduced. As part of this legislation comes the introduction of the Public Spaces Protection Order. (PSPO) This enables Local Authorities to impose prohibitions or requirements to specified areas to enable law abiding citizens to enjoy public areas without being affected by Anti-Social behaviour.

The new PSPO, will introduce additional prohibitions and will enable Officers from North Wales Police and designated officers within Wrexham County Borough Council to deal more robustly with offenders at the time of occurrence. The intention is to provide a deterrent to those considering participating in the activities outlined above. Officers will have the power to request people to leave, issue on the spot fines or report people for summons.

What do we want to know?: 

We are therefore contacting you as part of the required consultation process, we encourage you to look at the prohibitions suggested in the enclosed order and would be interested in your views on the matter.

 

The consultation period will be open on the 27th May 2016 and will close on the 28th June 2016, therefore please ensure any representations are made by this date. We would like to have any feedback to the proposed Order and ask that you could please do so in writing, stating the reasons for your objection, by email for the attention of:

 

Alison Smallwood at contact-us@wrexham.gov.uk, or by post to The Head of Public Protection and Environmental Services, Wrexham County Borough Council, Ruthin Road Offices, Wrexham, LL13 7TU.

What we found out: 

Following the Wrexham Town PSPO consultation on Your Voice Wrexham and other face to face consultations it was clear that the public were very supportive of a PSPO for the town centre, and were also supportive of the following prohibitions: 

 

  • Behaviour causing harassment, alarm, nuisance or distress
  • Consumption of alcohol or possession of an open container of alcohol
  • Loitering in a state of intoxication or through drug induced activity
  • Eating, drinking, inhaling, injecting, smoking or otherwise using intoxicating substances
  • Urinating or defecating
  • Sleeping in Kings Street bus station or public toilets during the hours of darkness

 

As a result of the consultation, the boundaries of the map were extended to pick up other areas where there had been evidence of anti social behaviour.   A result was taken to our Executive Board for approval of the Wrexham Town PSPO and the PSPO was put in place for 1st August 2016.

What difference has it made?: 

Since the PSPO has been in place over 50 PSPO tickets have been given by North Wales Police and Council Enforcement Officers.  Public awareness of the Wrexham Town PSPO and how to report anti-social behaviour has also been raised.  The PSPO has been implemented along with other initiatives so support the visible vulnerable into recovery services.  A further report is due to Executive Board in early 2017 to update the public on the Wrexham town PSPO.

Consultation start date 27 May 2016
Consultation end date 29 June 2016