In Wiltshire, the county’s Conservative police and crime commissioner (PCC) Philip Wilkinson went on a walk-about of Salisbury city centre, pictured. It’s got anti-social behaviour wardens (featured by Professional Security magazine in 2019) on patrol again – after a gap of a couple of months. The PCC says a business crime reduction partnership is starting in the city later this year.
Talking of BCRPs, we featured UK Partners Against Crime (UKPAC) partnership on the south coast in the October edition of Professional Security. In Devon and Cornwall, its Conservative PCC Alison Hernandez has been paying for free use for a year of UKPAC’s crime reporting portal. In Teignmouth the town council has signed up and Jo Gask, owner of The Healthy Pet Shop, is spreading the word. She says: “I haven’t got a problem in my shop, but my background is in security hence when I am so keen to put a stop to it after being made aware it is increasing in the town. The uptake won’t be slow here as we already all communicate together. If something is going on in one shop word soon gets around to stop it happening elsewhere.”
Night advice
In Greater Manchester the authorities have brought out a refreshed version of their Good Night Out Guide, aimed at students; detailing ‘safe spaces’ and trusted services available during nights out, and what to do if something goes wrong, including if drinks are spiked. Spencer Davies, Head of Advice and Response at the University of Manchester, said: “As a university, and with our other city university partners, we are deeply invested in protecting and supporting our students. Being part of the University of Manchester means saying yes to respect, yes to challenging discrimination and harassment, and yes to safety. We know the ecosystem of University life very much extends into the city.”
Hotspot wardens
Bedford Borough Council has a grant of £86,000 from the Home Office’s Hotspot Response Fund, for town centre wardens until March. They’ll be, according to a report to councillors, ‘consistent visible reassurance’, in pairs, on a Monday to Sunday shift pattern. This coincides with a public space behaviour order (PSPO) in the centre, covering like many other such orders street drinking and urinating, begging, dangerous cycling and littering.
And PSPOs
To introduce public space protection orders, they are made by local government and apply typically to public space – either a street or open space, or an entire district – and cover a crime or nuisance such as dog fouling, littering, street drinking, begging and on-street urinating. On Humberside, an unusual PSPO is covering outside Hull Royal Infirmary. Made by Hull City Council, it’s covering ‘verbal, non-verbal or written requests for money, donations, or goods’, ‘loitering, sitting, or laying on the floor’ – particularly around doorways and cash machines; and ‘consuming or being in possession of an open vessel containing alcohol’.
Deputy Head of Facilities for NHS Humber Health Partnership, David May, said: “What this PSPO does is enables the police and council enforcement officers to take firm action against those who behave anti-socially outside HRI, causing alarm and distress to our patients, visitors and colleagues.
“It’s extremely important to us that anyone coming to our hospitals – whether that’s for treatment, to work, or to care for a loved one – should not be subject to harassment, intimidation, or obstructive behaviour. Having this order in place will help to ensure that anyone behaving this way can be dealt with appropriately, creating a more pleasant environment for everyone.”
As elsewhere, someone who breaches the order could face a £100 fixed penalty notice or a magistrate’s court fine. The hospital adds that council enforcement staff will be issuing £150 fixed penalty notices to those found to be littering in the area – including those dropping cigarette butts.
Another unusual PSPO is proposed by West Oxfordshire District Council, seeking to address pony and traps on roads – to be exact, dangerous racing on the dual carriageway A40. Geoff Saul, Executive Member for Housing and Social Care at West Oxfordshire, said: “We understand that pony and trap racing has cultural significance for some, but the A40 is not the place for it. Public roads must be safe for everyone. We are working closely with the police to enforce restrictions and prevent further incidents before someone is seriously hurt or worse.”
As required by law, the proposed PSPO is out to public consultation; which runs to November 21. The council is holding a public meeting about the proposal on Wednesday, October 22 at Windrush Church of England Primary School.
