Decision details

To consider the report on the review and extension of the PSPO prohibiting drinking alcohol on Petersfield Green, Mill Road Cemetery and the front garden at Ditchburn Place.

Matter for Decision

The Officer’s report asked the Executive Councillor to approve the proposal to extend the current Public Spaces Protection Order (hereafter PSPO or “the Order”), due to lapse on 31 May 2019, in respect of Mill Road Cemetery, Petersfield Green and the front garden of Ditchburn Place, Cambridge, in the form as set out in Appendix A1-4 of the Officer’s report.

Decision of Executive Councillor for Communities

Approved the extension of the current PSPO, in the form as set out at Appendix A1-4 of the Officer’s report, for a duration of three years.

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Safer Communities Manager.

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

       i.          Referred to comments by the Police Inspector, which appeared to contradict themselves, by supporting the PSPO in one section and not in another.

     ii.          Referred to paragraph 3.6.5 in the Officer’s report and expressed concern there appeared to be an exit strategy for the PSPO even though they should not be in place indefinitely.

   iii.          Referred to paragraph 3.19 in the Officer’s report and asked if continuing the PSPO was contrary to Local Government Association advice.

   iv.          The PSPO sent out a message that anti-social behaviour had consequences.

    v.          Stopping the PSPO sent out the wrong message but councillors needed to be confident the PSPO would be lifted in future, so an exit strategy was needed to plan this.

The Safer Communities Manager said the following in response to Members’ questions:

       i.          The Police Inspector broadly supported the PSPO extension. He appeared to contradict himself in responses, which officers were unable to clarify before putting details in the committee report. The Inspector appeared to confuse supporting moving people away from drinking and what a PSPO could do. The Street Life Working Group (SLWG) was a multi-agency group working with people difficult to engage and involved in street based anti-social behaviour. SLWG had individual support plans to get people away from drinking.

     ii.          The PSPO aimed to return public spaces back to areas of public enjoyment. We were not where we wanted to be at present, but progress was being made towards the long term strategy. This could be reviewed in future but officers recommended continuing the PSPO to stop drinking in public places which prevented them from being used for their designated use.

   iii.          Referred to front line officer comments that the PSPO stopped drinking and anti-social behaviour in public places.

   iv.          The PSPO had done what it set out to do.

The Committee resolved by 7 votes to 0 to endorse the recommendation.

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendation.

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.