Public space protection order consultations

Published Wednesday 9 August, 2023
Last updated on Wednesday 9 August, 2023

Swale Borough Council is asking for people’s views on existing measures to tackle anti-social behaviour.

The council uses Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO's) to improve the safety and enjoyment of public spaces for everyone by placing restrictions on certain behaviours in specific locations.

At present PSPO’s in Swale require people to:

1. stop drinking alcohol in specific areas of Faversham, Leysdown, Sheerness and Sittingbourne if requested to do so by police or authorised council officer
2. keep dogs on leads and off the beach in specific areas of Leysdown, Minster and Sheerness between 1 May and 30 September
3. clear up dog fouling immediately, unless registered as blind or have an assistance dog from specific organisations

There is also a PSPO that restricts access to the alleyways between Galway Road, Winstanley Road, Coronation Road and Invicta Road in Sheerness.

Failure to comply with the orders can lead to a fixed penalty notice of up to £100.

Councillor Richard Palmer, chair of the community committee at the council, said:

“We are committed to making our public spaces safe and enjoyable for everyone.

“These orders were put in place a few years ago to improve the quality of life for local people.

“We don’t want to stop people enjoying themselves or going about their day, but PSPO’s help us to make sure we can tackle the minority who spoil it for everyone else.

“If you’re not causing a disturbance or nuisance to others, you wouldn’t even know they were in place.

“We need to review the orders to make sure they’re working effectively, so it would be great to get as many views as possible from people in the areas they cover.”

There are consultations on each of the PSPO’s in place, and people can let the council know their views on how effective they are.

The consultations are open until 4 September 2023 and people can take part by visiting www.swale.gov.uk/consultations.