Anti-social behaviour down after town centre booze crackdown
Ward councillor Ashley Farrall (non-grouped) was speaking at today's (Thursday) meeting of the environment and communities committee where he asked members to back recommendations to extend the public spaces protection order (PSPO) for another three years.
The order enables PCSOs and authorised council officers to ask people to hand over alcohol if they are drinking in the town centre or have it in their possession and are likely to cause anti-social behaviour.
Cllr Ashley Farrall (Image: Cheshire East Council) Cllr Farrall told the meeting at Macclesfield Town Hall: 'The current PSPO has been a valuable and effective tool since its implementation in July 2022…
'At the time, we were responding to a very real need.
'Residents and businesses were constantly reporting issues of alcohol-fuelled disorder, each causing alarm or intimidation and a general decline in the public environment.
'We knew that if we were going to reclaim our town centre as a safe, welcoming space, a focused, fair intervention was needed. Since then, the PSPO has delivered results.'
He said the total number of anti-social behaviour (ASB) incidents had dropped by more than 65 per cent since the order had been in place, alcohol-related ASB incidents had more than halved and in the first three months of this year there had been just two alcohol-related ASB incidents recorded.
'These are not just statistics, they represent real improvements for the people who live, work and visit the town centre every day,' said the Macclesfield councillor.
'Importantly, the order has been used proportionately and sensitively.
'No fixed penalty notices have been issued under the order.
'This is a tool, not for criminalising vulnerable individuals, it's a mechanism for early, calm, preventative action that empowers our officers to step in before behaviour escalates.'
He added: 'And I want to be clear on one point, this order is not and will not be used to criminalise rough sleepers, people experiencing homelessness in our town.
'The aim is to address anti-social behaviour, not to penalise people experiencing homelessness.'
Cllr Liz Braithwaite (Image: Cheshire East Council) Fellow ward councillor Liz Braithwaite (Lab) said the PSPO was 'a valuable tool for police and enforcement officers to both tackle and deter the ASB associated with problem drinking'.
The committee voted unanimously to extend the PSPO for three years, meaning it will expire in July 2028.
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