A new Public Spaces Protection Order aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour in Nottingham city centre comes into force today, Monday 27 July.
Nottingham City Council approved the order following a public consultation which attracted more than 1,300 responses.
Public Spaces Protection Orders, known as PSPOs, can be introduced by councils under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 where particular activities are judged to have a detrimental effect on the quality of life of people in an area.
The new city centre order prohibits obstructing access to buildings or blocking highways, interfering with street-cleaning operations and making unauthorised requests for money or carrying out certain street collections.
It also covers selling the Big Issue away from an approved pitch, busking which causes unreasonable disturbance or takes place in a restricted area, and distributing free materials such as leaflets without permission.
Other restrictions apply to mobile advertising, including human A-boards and placards, and urinating or defecating in public places.
The council said the order was not intended to prevent positive activity in the city centre, including considerate busking and sales by authorised Big Issue vendors. Instead, it will give officers powers to intervene where behaviour causes nuisance, obstruction or distress.
Anyone found breaching the PSPO may be issued with a £70 fixed penalty notice. Failure to pay could result in prosecution and a maximum fine of £1,000.
Councillor Matt Shannon, the council’s executive member for community protection, neighbourhoods and equalities, said: “Public Spaces Protection Orders are just one of the tools that we are using to clamp down on anti-social behaviour in our city centre.
“The order we have introduced will help us make the city centre safer and more welcoming for everyone who visits, works or lives in Nottingham.
“We want Nottingham to be a lively and vibrant city where everyone can thrive. These orders will give our officers the power to act where behaviour crosses the line and causes genuine nuisance, obstruction or distress.”
The council will hold a separate public consultation in August on possible restrictions relating to face coverings in the city centre.
The issue was raised by a significant number of respondents during the consultation on the wider PSPO. However, no decision has yet been made on introducing such a restriction.
Councillor Shannon added: “We have also heard the support from the public for restrictions on face coverings in the city centre. We will be holding a new consultation imminently to consider this as a new measure, with the obvious exemptions for medical and religious face coverings.”
The separate consultation will allow residents, businesses, partner organisations and other city centre users to comment on the proposed measure before the council reaches a decision.
Further details of the proposals and how people can take part are expected to be published shortly.
