Issue - meetings

The Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Wellbeing presented an update regarding a review which had been undertaken on the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for Newcastle Town Centre.  The reason for the review was that it was recognised that the enforcement process could be more proactive in dealing with incidents of anti-social behaviour in Newcastle Town Centre.

Over the last 12 months Newcastle Town Centre has seen an increase in persistent begging and associated anti-social behaviour which has caused complaints from both residents and businesses. The effect of the main change is to streamline the PSPO enforcement process to remove the warning notice stage and to vary the wording of the existing PSPO to include those who are persistently begging.

In supporting the decision the Portfolio Holder for Corporate and Service Improvement, People and Partnerships recognised that begging is an extremely emotive subject and emphasised that support will continue to be offered in the first instance with enforcement activity being employed as a last resort to those persistently and aggressively begging and causing anti-social behaviour in the Town Centre.

 Resolved: That Cabinet gives approval to the two proposed variations to the PSPO in Newcastle Town Centre.