West End Road, High Wycombe Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) consultation 2022

Feedback updated 27 Oct 2022

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 the PSPO should be extended for a further 3 years.

The consultation ran from 13 June to 11 July 2022.

You said

We received 18 responses to the consultation.

89% agreed with extension of the PSPO. 94% thought there was a problem with anti-social behaviour in the area.

14 responses were received from 14 residents including those whose gardens back onto the footpath. All fully supported the PSPO being extending and the footpath remaining closed off.

Many stated that their quality of life had improved significantly since the footpath had been closed, and the incidents of antisocial behaviour had decreased substantially.

For more information, please see the consultation findings report (PDF 0.83MB).

We did

On 5 October 2022, the Deputy Leader, on behalf of the Leader, of Buckinghamshire Council agreed to extend the West End Road, High Wycombe Public Spaces Protection Order for a further 3 years.

Overview

We want to hear your views on our proposal to extend an existing Public Spaces Protection Order in West End Road, High Wycombe.

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 the West End Road area of High Wycombe 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 three 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.

West End Road, High Wycombe Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO)

The West End Road PSPO was introduced on 18 October 2017 to address criminal activity and anti-social behaviour around the footpath running between West End Street and Desborough Avenue.

The location of the footpath and area of the PSPO is shown in the Map of West End Road PSPO document (PDF 0.79MB).

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

damage to fences and walls (to adjoining / nearby buildings),
littering,
people loitering drinking alcohol, and
noise and nuisance from people passing through the area via the footpath.

The PSPO restricts access to the public right of way (known as footpath HWU/80/1). The order authorised the installation of gates which enforce the restriction. It is an offence for a person, without reasonable excuse, to engage in activity that is prohibited by this Order.

There are exceptions to the restrictions. These are outlined in Schedule 2 of the PSPO document. For full details and conditions of the Order, please see the West End Road PSPO document (PDF 0.55MB).

The PSPO was extended for a further two years from 16 October 2020.

What we are proposing / consulting on

We are proposing to extend the West End Road Public Spaces Protection Order for a further three 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 West End Road PSPO will expire on 15 October 2022.

We want to hear your views on how the PSPO is addressing criminal activity and / or 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, the printed version of the survey (PDF 0.19MB)
Email us at anti-social-behaviour@buckinghamshire.gov.uk
Write to us at West End Road 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 11 July 2022.

What happens next

We will review and consider the consultation responses.

The decision whether to extend the West End Road Public Spaces Protection Order will be made before the end of October 2022.

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