Barking and Dagenham Council is looking to restrict the use of amplified noise equipment and tackle women’s safety as it launches a consultation to renew the Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO) in the borough.
PSPOs allow the council to prohibit certain activities in specific areas in order to tackle antisocial behaviour.
The three PSPOs that are up for renewal are in Barking Town Centre, Broad Street and the Heathway and ban activities such as:
- Consumption of alcohol in a public place
- Public urination
- Spitting
- Aggressive begging
- Groups engaging in behaviours which cause residents and other users of the area harassment, nuisance, alarm or distress.
The council is also proposing to include the use of amplified noise equipment without prior consent and not limited to but approaching women and making unwanted inappropriate sexual comments (also known cat-calling) across all PSPOs.
As well as the two PSPOs up for renewal, Barking and Dagenham Council is also looking to introduce a new one in Gale Street where Becontree Station is.
Since the PSPOs were last renewed in 2021, there have been numerous breaches of the PSPO recorded. In the last six months, a total of 460 breaches of the PSPO were recorded by the Community Safety Enforcement team within Barking Town Centre and Heathway (another PSPO area).
Councillor Syed Ghani, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety said: “PSPOs play a huge role in enabling us to crack down on antisocial behaviour in hot spot areas.
“Whether it be spitting, drinking alcohol, harassing others, or using amplified noise equipment, a PSPO gives us further powers to intervene. We continue to listen to concerns raised by our residents and businesses, and I would urge all residents and businesses to take part in the consultation and have their say.”
The consultation closes on Sunday 30 June and can be accessed on the council’s website.
For any enquiries, please email the Enforcement Team on csenforcementenquiries@lbbd.gov.uk.