Renewal of the Shrewsbury Town Centre Public Spaces Protection Order (No.1) 2017

Proposal

The Shrewsbury Town Centre Public Spaces Protection Order (No.1) 2017 (‘the Order'), which is attached, was originally approved by Shropshire Council on 21 June 2017 with an effective commencement date of 1 August 2017. The Order implemented four prohibitions relating to anti-social behaviours in a public space (shown by the map accompanying the Order), specifically:

(a) urinating/defecating;

(b) leaving personal belongings;

(c) a wider enabling provision to require a person to stop drinking alcohol and/or hand over alcohol if causing anti-social behaviour; and

(d) a wider enabling provision to require a person to leave an area and not to return for 48 hours if causing anti-social behaviour.

All Public Spaces Protection Orders expire at the end of three years unless extended by the Local Authority (maximum period of up to 3 years). The Order was extended for a further three years in August 2020 and we're now seeking views and comments on extending the Order for a further 3 years (from August 2023) and/or whether to make any amendments to the existing order.

The following amendments/additions are proposed:

1. To extend the persons able to enforce the PSPO to ‘any person authorised by Shropshire Council'.
2. To include a wider enabling provision to require a person to stop sitting or lying within the area if causing anti-social behaviour i.e. - ‘No person, who is sitting or lying on any footpath or pedestrian area or in any fire escape, stairway or other entrance or exit to any premises within the protected area, shall refuse to move when required to do so by an authorised officer, provided that officer has reason to believe that that person is causing or likely to cause nuisance, alarm, harassment or distress to any other person or in order to prevent public disorder.'
3. To include a wider enabling provision to require a person to leave a public toilet if causing antisocial behaviour namely - ‘No person shall refuse to leave a public toilet when required to do so by an authorised officer, provided that officer has reason to believe that that person is causing or likely to cause nuisance, alarm, harassment or distress to any other person or in order to prevent public disorder.'
4. To include a wider enabling provision to require a person to stop using a sound amplifier if causing anti-social behaviour namely - ‘‘No person shall refuse to stop using a device intended to amplify sound when required to do so by an authorised officer, provided that officer has reason to believe that that person is causing or likely to cause nuisance, alarm, harassment or distress to any other person or in order to prevent public disorder.'

We welcome comments to address the following questions:

1. Do you believe the existing order should be extended for three years. Please provide any further information to help justify your response.
2. Do you think the existing PSPO has helped to reduce instances of anti-social behaviour. Please provide any further information to help justify your response.
3. Do you think the existing PSPO should be amended to include any of the proposed new provisions. Please state which, if any, of the 4 provisions should be included and provide any further information to help justify your response.
4. Please state whether you are a resident of Shrewsbury Town centre, a Town centre business owner, an employee in the Town centre or a visitor.