Have your say on Lancaster’s Public Space Protection Order

Lancaster City Council is asking local residents and businesses for their views on the success of a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) which has been in force in Lancaster City Centre for the last three years.

PSPOs were granted under section 59 of the Antisocial Behaviour (ASB), Crime and Policing Act 2014 to allow authorised council officers and the police to introduce new measures to tackle antisocial behaviour and to improve public safety in a defined area such as Lancaster City Centre.

A PSPO can cover multiple restrictions including acting in an antisocial manner, defecating and urinating and consuming or failing to surrender alcohol when instructed to do so by a police officer or authorised council officer.

This current PSPO for Lancaster City Centre is due to expire on December 5 2019 and it is the council’s intention to apply for a renewal of this order to ensure that the legislation currently in force to tackle ASB remains in place.

Before it can be renewed, the council must consult with the public and local businesses about how well it has worked and if any adjustments need to be made.

Once completed, the findings will be presented to the council’s elected members for consideration.  Should members agree, the PSPO for Lancaster City Centre will be extended for a further three years.

Coun Alistair Sinclair, Cabinet member with responsibility for community safety, said: “Ahead of considering the renewal of the PSPO for Lancaster City Centre, we welcome the views of local residents and businesses alike on the current restrictions imposed on behaviour in the city centre and any further suggestions of what should be included in any future PSPO which would further improve public safety.”

The associated documentation and online questionnaire takes less than 10 minutes to complete and can be found online at www.lancaster.gov.uk/pspo  

The closing date for the consultation is 5pm on Wednesday, November 6.

All data provided will be kept secure and only used for the purpose of the survey.

Copies of the Public Space Protection Order for Lancaster City Centre and associated documents can also be viewed at Lancaster Town Hall and Lancaster City Museum in Market Square where feedback forms will also be available to complete and return to:  ASB Team, Public Protection Service, Town Hall, Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PJ.

Last updated: 23 October 2019