High Wycombe Town Centre 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 varied and extended for a further 3 years.

The consultation ran from 31 October to 28 November 2022.

You said

We received 17 responses to the consultation:

76% thought there was a problem with anti-social behaviour in the area, 18% didn’t know
12% thought anti-social behaviour had reduced since the PSPO was introduced, 35% didn’t know
94% thought the PSPO should be varied and extended for a further three years, 6% 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 vary and extend the High Wycombe Town Centre 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 vary and extend an existing Public Spaces Protection Order in High Wycombe Town Centre.

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 in High Wycombe Town Centre 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.

High Wycombe Town Centre Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO)

The High Wycombe Town Centre PSPO was introduced on 12 March 2020 to address anti-social behaviour in the public place.

The PSPO prohibits any person is from consuming alcohol or having an open container for alcohol in the restricted areas at all times. Anyone continuing to carry out these activities in the restricted areas is committing an offence.

There are exceptions to the restrictions. These are outlined in Schedule 2 of the PSPO document.

What we are proposing / consulting on

We are proposing to vary and extend the High Wycombe Town Centre Public Spaces Protection Order for a further 3 years. The variations are:

An additional condition to enforce the PSPO:
- “[where a constable or an authorised person reasonably believes that a person] has an open container of alcohol where to do so would be a breach of the prohibition”
A change to the exceptions listed in Schedule 2 of the PSPO to state permission is granted by our Community Safety Team:
- “a place where facilities or activities relating to the sale or consumption of alcohol are at the relevant time permitted by virtue of written permission granted by Buckinghamshire Councils’ Community Safety Team”

For full details and conditions of the Order, please see the varied High Wycombe Town Centre PSPO document (PDF 0.34MB).

A variation and extension are being proposed to prevent:

Occurrence or re-occurrence of the activities identified in the Order, or
An increase in the frequency or seriousness of the activities identified in the Order

If not varied and extended, the High Wycombe Town Centre PSPO will expire on 11 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 varied and 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 0.22MB)
Email us at anti-social-behaviour@buckinghamshire.gov.uk
Write to us at High Wycombe Town Centre 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 vary and extend the High Wycombe Town Centre 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.

Areas

High Wycombe

Interests

Communities
Crime & community safety

Contact