A new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour and helping make Nottingham city centre safer and more welcoming will come into force on Monday 27 July.
The order, which comes into force on Monday 27 July, was approved following a public consultation that received more than 1,300 responses.
Under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, councils can introduce PSPOs to address behaviour that has a detrimental effect on the quality of life of people in a particular area.
The new Nottingham city centre PSPO includes restrictions relating to:
- Obstructing access to buildings or blocking highways
- Interfering with street-cleaning operations
- Unauthorised requests for money and certain street collections
- Selling the Big Issue away from an approved pitch
- Busking that causes unreasonable disturbance or takes place in a restricted area
- Distributing free materials, such as leaflets, without permission
- Using mobile advertisements, including human A-boards and placards
- Urinating or defecating in public places
The council is committed to supporting positive activity in the city centre, including respectful busking and authorised Big Issue sellers. The PSPO will provide appropriate powers to respond when behaviour causes nuisance, obstruction or distress to others.
Anyone who breaches the order could receive a £70 fixed penalty notice. Failure to pay may lead to prosecution and a maximum fine of £1,000.
Councillor Matt Shannon, Executive Member for Community Protection, Neighbourhoods and Equalities, said: “Public Spaces Protection Orders are just one of the tools that we are using to clamp down on anti-social behaviour in our city centre.
“The order we have introduced will help us make the city centre safer and more welcoming for everyone, who visits, works or lives in Nottingham.
“We want Nottingham to be a lively and vibrant city where everyone can thrive. These orders will give our officers the power to act where behaviour crosses the line and causes genuine nuisance, obstruction or distress.
“We have also heard the support from the public for restrictions on face-coverings in the city centre. We will be holding a new consultation imminently, to consider this as a new measure – with the obvious exemptions for medical and religious face-coverings.”
Further consultation on face coverings
The council will launch a separate public consultation in August on proposals relating to the use of face coverings in Nottingham city centre.
The issue was raised by a significant number of people during the consultation on the wider PSPO. The council has therefore decided to consider the matter separately, allowing residents, businesses, partners and other city centre users to comment specifically on the proposals before any decision is made.
Further details, including the proposed restrictions and how people can take part in the consultation, will be published in soon.
ENDS