Public space protection orders (PSPOs)

The 2014 Act gives councils the authority to draft and implement public spaces protection orders (PSPOs) in response to the particular issues affecting local communities, providing certain criteria and legal tests are met.

Public space protection orders (PSPOs)

We understand well how antisocial behaviour can blight the lives of people in their local communities.

So ensuring our neighbourhoods are safe places to live, visit and work by tackling antisocial behaviour remains a top priority for us.

That's why we, where it's appropriate, and we have the support of local people to do so, have used and will use the powers given us under the public spaces protection provisions of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to help tackle antisocial behaviour in our neighbourhoods.

The 2014 Act gives councils the authority to draft and implement public spaces protection orders (PSPOs) in response to the particular issues affecting local communities, providing certain criteria and legal tests are met.

We can use PSPOs to prohibit specified activities or to require users of a defined public area to do certain things. Such restrictions and requirements can be placed on behaviour that applies to everyone in the locality affected by the PSPO (though we may exempt some categories of people, where this is appropriate). Breach of a PSPO without a reasonable excuse is an offence, for which a fixed penalty notice of not more than £100 may be issued.

In introducing PSPOs we have to assess the impact of the antisocial behaviour activities we seek to tackle, and have to ensure that the activities that have taken place:

  • have had, or are likely to have, a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality; or it is likely those activities will take place and that they will have a detrimental effect;
  • the effect or likely effect of these activities is, or is likely to persistent or continuing in nature and is, or is likely to be, unreasonable; and
  • justifies the restrictions and requirements being imposed.​

PSPO consultations

The council sought views on its proposals to take new powers to tackle antisocial behaviour and nuisance and camping at Cowbar.

This consultation closed on Monday 24 January 2022.

You can view a summary of the consultation outcome by visiting the Previous consultations | Redcar and Cleveland (redcar-cleveland.gov.uk) page.

Having complied with consultation requirements and secured overwhelming support for its proposals to do so,  the council has now exercised its powers, under section 60 of the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing (2014) Act, to give notice of its intention to prohibit antisocial behaviour and nuisance on open space at Cowbar.

You can find out more about this proposed Order by downloading the PSPO notice documents below: