North Tyneside Council will continue to crack down on antisocial drinking and irresponsible dog ownership by extending Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO) across the Borough.
At their meeting on Monday 18 September, members of the council’s Cabinet reviewed public feedback from a four-week consultation and agreed to extend the orders for a further three years.
PSPOs give council officers the power to confiscate alcohol if it is being consumed irresponsibly or having a detrimental impact on the community, and anyone committing an offence could be given a Fixed Penalty Notice of up to £100 and a court fine of up to £1,000 for failure to pay.
It is an offence for dogs to enter certain designated places such as play areas and specific beaches during the summer months, and dogs must be kept on a lead in other identified spaces within local parks and cemeteries.
The consultation feedback included 107 questionnaire responses as well as a further 161 comments, showing strong support for extending the orders. Specifically, 93% backed PSPOs for dog fouling, 85% supported dog exclusion from play areas, and 73% favoured dog exclusion from designated parts of beaches during summer.
80.5% supported renewing an order against antisocial street drinking.
Responding to concerns around the management of public areas, the council has launched the £1.5m Neat Streets initiative. The project will see more staff, equipment and vehicles head out across the Borough to tackle issues including littering, dog fouling, fly-tipping and antisocial behaviour.
One notable aspect is the addition of 100 multipurpose litter bins in new locations throughout the Borough, aiding responsible disposal of dog waste and litter.
Councillor Hannah Johnson, cabinet member for Environment, said: "I would like to thank everyone who took the opportunity to respond to our questionnaire. The exercise has been a success and revealed huge support for the orders to continue.
“Listening to and working better for our residents, we will take on board all comments about dog and alcohol controls in the Borough. The renewal of PSPOs allows us to continue to act on local concerns and take robust action to protect our local environment and address the issues that are detrimental to people’s quality of life in our communities.”
Councillor Karen Clark, cabinet member for Public Health and Wellbeing, added: “Tackling anti-social behaviour in all its forms is a key priority within the Our North Tyneside Plan. Public Space Protection Orders form just one part of the extensive measures we have put in place to successfully reduce anti-social behaviour in our Borough. We have full support from our partners in Northumbria Police and together with other community safety partners we will continue to ensure that North Tyneside is a safe place to live work and visit.”
