Thanet council is proposing to create a Public Spaces Protection order (PSPO) for alcohol control across the whole isle – with the exception of Monkton and Acol.
The PSPO will mean a restriction on carrying and consuming alcohol which is deemed to be causing, or may cause, anti social behaviour, when asked not to do so by an authorised officer.
Essentially is means alcohol – open or opened – being carried or drunk in a public place can be confiscated. Refusal to hand it over could result in a £500 fine.
If agreed, the PSPO will replace the Designated Public Places Order relating to alcohol control, which expires in October 2017, due to the introduction of PSPOs.
If approved the order will come into force on November 16 for three years.
The order says:
“All persons are prohibited from consuming alcohol and must dispose of any vessel believed to contain alcohol, when asked to do so by an authorised person, when it is believed that they are either committing or likely to commit Anti-Social Behaviour in a public place.
An authorised person can require any person
To not consume alcohol or anything the authorised person reasonably believes to be alcohol, in sealed or unsealed vessels
To surrender anything in the person’s possession which is, or the authorised person reasonably believes to be, alcohol or likely to be used as a container for alcohol.
Any surrendered items are to be retained by the authorised person and safely disposed of as appropriate.”
Anyone who breaches the PSPO rules could be fined up to level 2 (defined as £500 by the UK Sentencing Council).
A Thanet council spokesman said: “The Community Safety team and Kent Police currently deal with antisocial Behaviour emanating from alcohol consumption which has a negative impact on the quality of life for residents and visitors to the District.
The PSPO is designed to give officers greater ability to tackle alcohol related anti-social Behaviour in the interests of the wider community, residents, local businesses and visitors to the area.”
PSPOs may be enforced by police officers, police community safety officers and any officers designated by Thanet District Council.
This latest proposal follows the recent consulation to impose PSPO areas that will either ban dogs completely or bring in strict on-lead rules from this October.
A public consultation on the measures opens today (September 12). Views can be submitted via feedback@thanet.gov.uk before 3 October 2017.
A decision on implementing the3 Public Spaces Protection Order for alcohol control will be taken by Cabinet on 16 November 2017.
A copy of the PSPO proposal can be downloaded here.
Good idea, but why exclude Monkton and Acol? The people causing the problems now will just move to those villages and annoy the locals there instead. The order should be across the whole of Thanet, not just some of it.
What’s that I hear?…. Oh it’s a cash cow! Do you honestly expect the heavies to tackle aggressive drunks? – more likely they will go for the soft targets; people minding their own business and having a quiet social drink outside. Can me cynical, but you can see this coming a mile off!
Aggressive drunks round here hardly recognise Police Officers so they are not going to take any notice of authorised persons with clipboards and payment terminals. As Jellybean above says, they will target the easy one’s just like they did with the cigarette dropping enforcement officers. These PSPO areas are just a waste of time as Anti-social drinking behaviour, littering and dog fouling are all already covered by laws or bye-laws. It won’t last !
What about people enjoying a drink on the beach… especially those from out of town who won’t know the local bye-law? Also what about carrying alcoholic drinks home from an off-licence or supermarket shop if you don’t have a car?
The Order does say that it will apply to people who have committed or are likely to commit anti-social behaviour, which is surely open to a multitude of interpretations.
So what happens in Broadstairs in Folk week then !
Does that order get suspended for the week !
All the folkies walking round with beer in tankards !
Another barmy idea from this crackpot council !
Also a drive on the shops selling it to under aged kids
Also the shops still selling legal highs
Police use to use kids to buy from shops to find out which ones do
There are plenty of fake shops in Northdown Rd, Cliftonville just getting by with selling illicit fags and baccy to underage kids and adults alike. They don’t care about the laws either and are allowed to continue year after year without any authorities clamping down on them. Will these clipboard officials deal with them too?