Issue - meetings

To consider the attached report of the Head of Transformation and the Port Health & Public Protection Manager.

The Principal Community Safety, CCTV and Emergency Planning Officer and the Environmental Protection and Crime Manager presented the report on the Public Spaces Protection Order Consultation.

Members were advised that several variations to the adopted Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) were proposed to eliminate issues with effective enforcement and insert an enclosed children’s play area previously omitted as followed:

·         Rewording of Part 5 – “Consumption of Alcohol in Public Places” to clarify where the restrictions apply.

·         Removal of children’s play area at Children’s Playing Field, Cowdray Square, Deal, Kent from Schedule 2 and extensions of area where dogs on lead restrictions apply at Children’s Playing Field, Cowdray Square, Deal, Kent in Schedule 1 to mirror approach of unfenced children’s play areas such as Russell Gardens in Temple Ewell.

·         Addition of a dog exclusion area within the enclosed children’s play area to schedule 2 at Woodnesborough Village Hall Green, Elmwood Park, Woodnesborough, Kent

In response to a question over the use of the PSPO in respect of anti-social behaviour, Members were advised that it had been used by Kent Police on 21 occasions since July 2021.

It was moved by Councillor H M Williams, duly seconded by Councillor C A Vinson and

RESOLVED: (a)     That it be recommended to the Cabinet that Option 1 in the report be approved as follows:

(i)            That, having regard to the conditions within Sections 61 and 72 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, Officers be authorised to conduct an effective consultation process to seek comments and views from a range of stakeholders and embers of the public on the proposed variations to the existing Public Spaces Protection Order, as detailed in the report.

(b)     That the consultation results be brought back to a future meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

To consider the attached report of the Head of Transformation and the Port Health & Public Protection Manager.

Responsibility: Portfolio Holders for Community & Corporate Property and Transport, Licensing & Environmental Services

It was agreed that, having regard to the conditions within Sections 61 and 72 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, Officers be authorised to conduct an effective consultation process to seek comments and views from a range of stakeholders and members of the public on the proposed variations to the existing Public Spaces Protection Order, as detailed in the report.