Town Centre £100 PSPO Fine Zone To Tackle Anti-Social Behaviour

Wrexham Council are asking your thoughts on their proposals to fine those taking part in ‘anti social behaviour’ in Wrexham town centre.

Wrexham Council have launched a consultation asking for your thoughts on the introduction of a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to ‘help tackle antisocial behaviour across Wrexham Town Centre’.

PSPO’s are new legislation that has been used by Wrexham Council in Rhosddu, calling it a ‘hotspot’ at the time, which can see fines of £100 issued (or £75 if paid within seven days) however non-payment could see prosecutions with a maximum penalty upon conviction being a fine up to £1000.

The consultation notes: “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.”

In the examples of such behaviour the first noted is “Rough sleeping”, then “Drug abuse; and intoxication from that” and “Drinking alcohol and under the influence of such.”

If the proposed PSPO goes ahead, much of the town centre will be covered by an order – along with Capel y Groes on Powell Road, Eagles Meadow, King Street and Bellevue Park.

The proposals prohibit specific behaviour, with the consultation allowing you to agree or disagree with each point.

• Behaving in a manner that is likely to cause harassment, alarm, nuisance or distress.
• That consuming alcohol or being in possession of open containers of alcohol likely to cause or causing Anti-Social Behaviour is prohibited in the Restricted Area.
• Loitering in a state of intoxication or through drug induced activity is prohibited in the Restricted Area
• That Person(s) within the Restricted Area are prohibited from eating, drinking, inhaling, injecting, smoking or otherwise using any intoxicating substances or the preparations for any such activities. (This includes alcohol and any other legally obtained product which is intoxicating in nature)
• Defecating or urinating in a public place is prohibited in a Restricted Area.
• That sleeping within Wrexham Bus Station in King’s Street, and any public toilet facilities within the Town Centre during the hours of darkness is prohibited.

The proposed Order in comes off the back of a series of issues regarding antisocial behaviour in the town centre – particularly around the bus station, which recently became subject to a dispersal order in a bid to tackle the problem.

PSPO’s have been used elsewhere such as Hackney, Newport and Oxford for geographically wide outright bans of rough sleeping, with such areas accused of ‘criminalising homelessness’ via the legislation. Wrexham’s proposals are however specific to the bus station and toilets rather than the full town centre. It is unclear how the Council intends to collect the prompt £75 fine from rough sleepers who are deemed in breech of the PSPO, or if prosecutions of homeless people would be pursued which could end in a conviction with a potential fine of £1000.

Last month a similar order was introduced in Rhosddu Park and Cemetery, with two people since receiving fines for drinking in the area.

Speaking about the proposals Cllr Hugh Jones, Wrexham Council’s Lead Member for Communities and Partnerships, said: “We have been aware for some time that the levels of anti social behaviour occurring in the town centre is unacceptable and is of concern to visitors, businesses and residents alike.

“In order to address this problem we are proposing to use powers given to us under legislation to introduce a PSPO, similar to the one that has been successfully introduced in Rhosddu Park and Cemetery.

“The Order will give authorised officers the right to issue a £100 fine which will deter offences taking place in these areas. I will be taking a report to the Council’s Executive Board in June for the proposed order and I encourage as many people as possible to take part in the consultation so we have a wide range of views on the proposals.”

To take part in the consultation with details of the Order and a fuller map of the affected area are available online on the following links:

The English link to the consultation is here, with the Welsh consultation link is here.

Hard copies of the consultation are also available from Contact Wrexham and the Guildhall Reception on request.