Issue - meetings

Due to the length of this report, only the covering report has been included in the main agenda for this meeting.  The full length report, including appendices, has been published in a separate supplementary pack for the meeting.

The Community Safety Manager presented a report which detailed a proposal to introduce a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) in Redditch Town Centre.

The Committee was advised that the report detailed the proposed wording of the order, the geographic location in which the PSPO would apply and the data that had informed the proposal.  Partner organisations, including West Mercia Police, had been consulted and an equality impact assessment had been undertaken. The proposed PSPO had the support of the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and would help to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) in the town centre.

Once the report had been presented, Members discussed the following points in detail:

·             The additional powers that would be provided to the police once the PSPO was in place.

·             The signage that would be displayed in order to encourage people to report ASB observed in the town centre.  Members commented that the signage would also help to deter potential perpetrators.

·             The length of time that had been spent by officers working on this PSPO.  It was noted that this period of time had coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic which had caused delays, such as in relation to gathering data.  Members were advised that there did need to be evidence available in order to implement a PSPO.

·             The positive impact that the PSPO would potentially have on the extent to which people felt safe when they were in the town centre as well as supporting local businesses.

·             The comments that had been provided by the public who had been consulted in the survey, which indicated that many people did not report ASB when they witnessed this and the suggestion was made that action needed to be taken to encourage residents to report incidents.

RESOLVED that

a Public Space Protection Order to restrict Antisocial Behaviour related to Alcohol and Misuse of Psychoactive Substances be implemented.