Dorney Lake Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) consultation 2022

Feedback updated 17 Mar 2023

We asked

Public Spaces Protection Orders are aimed at ensuring public spaces can be enjoyed free from anti-social behaviour. They provide us with legal powers to deal with a particular nuisance or problem in a defined area.

We asked for views on how the PSPO was addressing anti-social behaviour in the area and whether it should be extended for a further 3 years.

The consultation ran from 31 October to 28 November 2022.

You said

We received 28 responses to the consultation:

54% thought there was a problem with anti-social behaviour in the area, 18% didn’t know
57% thought anti-social behaviour had reduced since the PSPO was introduced, 38% didn’t know
82% thought the PSPO should be extended for a further three years, 4% didn’t know.

Responses from Thames Valley Police indicate complaints have reduced. Police and council officer patrols have seen a decrease in anti-social behaviour.

For more information, please see the consultation findings report (PDF 0.53MB).

We did

On 15 February 2023, the Leader of Buckinghamshire Council agreed to extend the Dorney Lake Public Spaces Protection Order for a further three years.

Without this order there is likely to be an increase in the frequency or seriousness of anti-social behaviour.

Overview

We want to hear your views on our proposal to extend an existing Public Spaces Protection Order at Dorney Lake.

We have a key role to play in helping make local places safe to live, visit and work in. Tackling anti-social behaviour continues to be a high priority for us and our partners.

It is key that we address and reduce these issues from occurring, by consulting with members of the public and other key stakeholders.

We want to hear from residents and organisations around Dorney Lake as well as those who visit the area.

Information about Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs):

What is a PSPO? More Information

Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) are intended to deal with a particular nuisance or problem in a specific area that is detrimental to the local community’s quality of life. This is achieved by imposing conditions on the use of that area, which apply to everyone.

Councils can use PSPOs to prohibit specified activities, and / or require certain things to be done by people engaged in particular activities, within a defined public area.

A single PSPO can be used to target a range of different anti-social behaviour issues. A PSPO can last for up to 3 years, after which it must be reviewed.

What can PSPOs be used for? More Information

PSPOs can be used to restrict a broad range of activities.

Under section 59 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, local authorities must be satisfied on reasonable grounds that the activity subject to an Order:

has a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality (or it is likely that activities will take place and have such an effect)
is (or is likely to be) persistent or continuing in nature
is (or is likely to be) unreasonable;
justifies the restrictions being imposed.

How are PSPOs enforced? More Information

Authorised officers from Buckinghamshire Council and the Police will be able to enforce the restrictions and requirements of a PSPO. This can include issuing Fixed Penalty Notices.

The Fixed Penalty Notice for a breach of a PSPO is £60 if paid within 10 days, and £100 if paid within 14 days.

Dorney Lake Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO)

The Dorney Lake PSPO was introduced on 11 March 2020 to address anti-social behaviour in the public place.

The PSPO addresses the following types of anti-social behaviour:

the consumption of alcohol in breach of an authorised officer's request to cease its consumption;
having an unsealed container of alcohol, in breach of an authorised officer's request to surrender the alcohol or container;
the consumption of any psychoactive substance1(colloquially known as a legal high) or possessing a psychoactive substance in breach of an authorised officer's request to surrender it;
using behaviour towards another person (whether on the land or in the lake) which may reasonably be perceived to be threatening, aggressive or intimidating;
entering the lake in a manner which is reasonably likely to harm any other person in the water;
using foul or abusive language;
gathering or loitering with any other person(s) in a manner which is (or may reasonably be perceived to be) intimidating or threatening to any other member of the public;
driving a motor vehicle in such a manner that puts any other member of the public at risk of harm;
performing any motor vehicle stunts; and
racing a motor vehicle with any other motor vehicle, or exceeding the speed limits displayed on any sign within the Restricted Area.

Anyone continuing to carry out any of the above activities in the restricted area is committing an offence.

For full details and conditions of the Order, please see the Dorney Lake PSPO document (PDF 0.89MB).

What we are proposing / consulting on

We are proposing to extend the Dorney Lake Public Spaces Protection Order for a further 3 years.

An extension is being proposed to prevent:

Occurrence or re-occurrence of the criminal activity and / or anti-social behaviour identified in the Order, or
An increase in the frequency or seriousness of the criminal activity and / or anti-social behaviour identified in the Order

If not extended, the Dorney Lake PSPO will expire on 10 March 2023.

We want to hear your views on how the PSPO is addressing anti-social behaviour in the area and whether you think the PSPO should be extended.

How to have your say

You can tell us your views in one of the following ways:

Complete the online survey using the link at the end of the page
Complete, and return, a printed version of the survey (PDF 0.19MB)
Email us at anti-social-behaviour@buckinghamshire.gov.uk
Write to us at Dorney Lake PSPO consultation 2022, Community Safety Team, Buckinghamshire Council, Walton Street Offices, Walton Street, Aylesbury, HP20 1UA

If you have any questions about this activity, please email us anti-social-behaviour@buckinghamshire.gov.uk or phone us on 0300 131 6000.

Please tell us your views by midnight on Monday 28 November 2022.

What happens next

We will review and consider the consultation responses.

The decision whether to extend the Dorney Lake Public Spaces Protection Order will be made before March 2023.

Privacy

We will use the information you provide here only for this activity. We will store the information securely in line with data protection laws and will not share or publish any personal details. For more information about data and privacy, please see our Privacy Policy.

If you have questions about data and privacy, please email us on dataprotection@buckinghamshire.gov.uk. Or write to our Data Protection Officer at Buckinghamshire Council, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF.

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