The new, dangerously open-ended ‘public spaces protection order’ powers allow councils to ban any activity which they judge to have a ‘detrimental effect’ on the ‘quality of life’ of an area.
Many councils have passed or are planning to bring through these orders (see our list, here).
Below are the currently open consultations for public spaces protection orders.
Please take the time to respond, especially if you live in or visit the area concerned. If councils receive enough critical responses, this will make it much harder for them to bring the measure through.
- OXFORD CITY COUNCIL is proposing new laws restricting: sleeping in toilets, rough sleeping, public drinking, dogs off leads in the city centre, pigeon feeding, ‘non-compliant’ busking and ‘persistent begging’. The consultation is open until the 31 March.
KETTERING BOROUGH COUNCIL is planning a public spaces protection order in the town centre, which would regulate the following activities: street drinking, skateboarding, charity collectors, anti-social driving and parking, begging, parked up ‘cars for sale’, loitering and obstructing the highway. See the council policy document. The council is consulting on a draft order until 24 April 2015: respond to the consultation here.
BATH CITY COUNCIL is planning to prohibit amplified busking in key parts of the city centre. The consultation on the order runs until 29 March. You can also sign Bath buskers’ petition against the order.