Crime and anti-social behaviour levels lead to extension protection order for Peterborough city centre

Peterborough City Council has extended the Public Spaced Protection Order (PSPO) that covers Millfield, New England, Eastfield and the Embankment for a further three years.

The order has been in place since October 2021 and allows police the power to restrict behaviour that is: “having, or be likely to have, a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality, be persistent or continuing nature and is unreasonable.”

Street drinking is completely prohibited within Stanley Recreation Ground, Stanley Road, Crawthorne Road, Brook Street car park, Broadway, Fitzwilliam Street, Church Walk and Park Road.

During the three year period, council enforcement officers have issued fines for a number of offences, including littering, spitting, urination/defecation, failure to disperse and street drinking.

Anyone caught breaching a condition can face fines of up to £1,000 or Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs).

The decision to extend the order was made by Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Alison Jones.

In her reasons for the decision, Cllr Jones said: “Given the current level of crime and ASB reported to the police in this area, it is considered justified and proportionate to recommend the amendment and extension of the Millfield, New England, Eastfield and Embankment Public Spaces Protection Order for a further three years.

“Continuation of the Millfield, New England, Eastfield and Embankment Public Spaces Protection Order will directly enable the Local Authority and the Safer Peterborough Partnership achieve the objectives to keep our communities safe, cohesive and healthy and tackle anti-social behaviour.’

“If extended for a further three years, the order will give the council and police additional powers to utilise alongside other initiatives, policies and investments dedicated to tackling crime and improving the quality of life for communities within this area of the city.”

The number of anti-social behaviour incidents recorded in each ward by the police between March 2023 and February 2024 were: North: 250 Central: 876 Park: 146 East: 233.

In 2023, the council’s Safer Communities Service served Criminal Behaviour Orders on five individuals following prosecutions for persistent breaches of Public Spaces Protection Orders. The Orders prohibit individuals from committing offences in relation to alcohol related anti-social behaviour and from being in parts of the city centre and the Millfield, New England, Eastfield and the Embankment.

Between October 2021 and March 2024, the council also issued the following number of fixed penalty notices: Littering- 6 - Failure to disperse (alcohol or anti-social behaviour) 17 (15 alcohol 2 ASB) - Spitting 7 - Urination or defecation 20

Council documents state that the number of notices handed out are low due to the “council’s limited resources,” however, the authority has now doubled the size of its environmental enforcement team.

Among those to welcome the extension of the is North ward councillor Asim Mahmood.

He said: “This is a really good initiative. The police have been doing some really good work over the last two years in the area, especially with the Alliance Project (A campaign dedicated to regenerating areas most affected by organised crime.”

"The PSPO ties in very well with the work of the project in regards to bringing down drug trafficking and sexual exploitation. Organised crime is rife in Millfield and this PSPO as well as the public drinking ban has been really really good and it has given people more confidence to report incidents.

"This is also helping to make sure that criminals are going away for a lot longer because the police have hard evidence. It is exactly what we need.”