About Public Spaces Protection Orders
Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPO) enable Local Authorities to deal with a particular issue in a particular area that is having a detrimental effect on the quality of life for those in the local community.
In Peterborough there are three PSPOs; one in the City Centre, one in Woodston and one covering Millfield, New England and parts of Eastfield and the Embankment (which also includes Lincoln Road, Gladstone, Central Park and Viersen Platz).
The first PSPO came into effect on 1 April 2017 with the second coming into effect on 23 June 2017 and the latest one on 19 April 2019. All followed public consultation.
The PSPOs will directly enable the Local Authority and the Safer Peterborough Partnership achieve their objectives to ‘Keep our communities safe, cohesive and healthy’ and to ‘Tackle anti-social behaviour’.
City centre
The conditions of the City Centre PSPO are as follows:
- Persons within the area, on the request of a Police Constable, Police Community Support Officer or an authorised Council Officer are to comply with the request to dispose of or surrender any containers of alcohol in their possession or disperse from an area.
- No urination and/or defecation in a public place other than within designated public toilets.
- No begging - not to make unsolicited and/or unauthorised requests for money (whether expressly requested or impliedly requested by conduct) in a public place from persons not known to the perpetrator.
- No unauthorised cycling (i.e. in Bridge Street).
- Cyclists to dismount if requested to do so by an authorised officer if they are of the opinion that the cyclist is riding in a wanton and furious manner.
- To comply with Peterborough City Council's code of conduct for busking.
- Any individual is to disperse from an area if requested to do so by an authorised officer if the officer is of the opinion that the individual is causing harassment, alarm or distress.
- No littering or spitting. It is an offence to throw down, drop or otherwise deposit and then leave, litter in any place in the open air in the defined area.
Millfield, New England, Eastfield and Embankment
The conditions of the Millfield, New England, Eastfield and Embankment PSPO are as follows:
- Persons within the area, on the request of a Police Constable, Police Community Support Officer or an authorised Council Officer are to comply with the request to dispose of or surrender any containers of alcohol in their possession or disperse from an area.
- No urination and/or defecation in a public place other than within designated public toilets.
- Any individual is to disperse from an area if requested to do so by an authorised officer if the officer is of the opinion that the individual is causing harassment, alarm or distress.
- No littering or spitting. It is an offence to throw down, drop or otherwise deposit and then leave, litter in any place in the open air in the defined area.
Woodston
The conditions of the Woodston PSPO are as follows:
- Persons within the restricted area are prohibited to consume alcohol in a public place or be in possession of an open vessel containing alcohol, other than on licensed premises or where a Temporary Event Notice is in operation in accordance with the Licensing Act 2013.
- Any individual is to disperse from an area if requested to do so by an authorised officer if the officer is of the opinion that the individual is under the influence of an intoxicating substance
- Any individual is to disperse from an area if requested to do so by an authorised officer if the officer is of the opinion that the individual is causing harassment alarm or distress
- No camping or fires in any public place in the defined area without express written permission of the City Council
- No littering or spitting. It is an offence to throw down, drop or otherwise deposit and then leave, litter in any place in the open air in the defined area.
- No urination and/or defecation in a public place other than within designated public toilets.
- Adults are prohibited from being present in a children's playground area unless they are accompanying a child of 14 or under, unless the person using the play equipment/park requires the attention of a recognised carer or they are present in an official capacity (e.g maintenance officer)
Breaching a PSPO
If someone is caught breaching a PSPO, officers from our Prevention and Enforcement Service - Police Constables, Police Community Support Officers, Peterborough City Council staff and Kingdom officers - can issue fines of up to £1000 or Fixed Penalty Notices.
If you see someone breaching the PSPO conditions you can report it to the Prevention and Enforcement Service (PES) by calling 101 or 01733 747474 (999 should only be used in an emergency). Alternatively, you can tweet PES with any questions you may have via Twitter @PeterboroughPES.
