A Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) on Athelstan and Ethelbert Roads in Cliftonville aimed at tackling littering and antisocial behaviour has been approved.
The PSPO came into effect yesterday (January 27) and will run for three years. It aims to reduce the amount of litter and rubbish on these streets, as well as address other anti-social behaviour (ASB) including noise nuisance.
The new rules apply to anyone in Athelstan and Ethelbert Roads. Explanatory signs will be installed and enforcement officers have the authority to give Fixed Penalty Notices to those breaching the order.
The PSPO means:
- Residents must put their household rubbish in the correct bin.
- Residents must put out their bins on the correct collection day.
- Residents must not leave bins out on the street apart from on collection day. This means putting out bins between 6pm on the day before collection is due, and taking them back onto their property no later than 8pm on collection day.
- Residents must not dump or leave waste or litter on driveways, in gardens or other outdoor spaces.
- Residents must make sure that garden walls and fences are safe and in good condition.
- Residents must not make noise at any time that is likely to disturb their neighbours.
Members of the public will not be able to use the alleyway between Athelstan Road and Ethelbert Road as the council is to install lockable gates at each end. Residents, guests, emergency services and certain other authorised people will still be able to use the alleyway.
Cllr George Kup, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Youth Engagement, said: “Reducing the amount of litter and anti-social behaviour in Thanet is a top priority for our residents, and therefore for the council.
“Unfortunately, despite numerous interventions and ongoing enforcement activity, the dumping of rubbish by some residents and people living elsewhere continues to be a real problem on Athelstan and Ethelbert Roads in particular. It can have a detrimental effect on the people who live and work there, and on the visual appeal of the neighbourhood.
“The PSPO is part of a wider project being led by the Thanet Multi-agency Task Force. By introducing the PSPO in Athelstan and Ethelbert Roads, council officers and partners including Kent Police will now have the authority to enforce the new rules, helping to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in the area.
“We’re hoping that a community-wide commitment to improving the area will benefit everyone who lives and works there.”
The PSPO follows many years of campaigning for measures by Athelstan Road Tenants & Residents’ Association (ARTRA) with input from ward councillors.
The order was agreed at a council Cabinet meeting on Thursday (January 26).
The possibility of the scheme being extended to other areas, particularly alleyways that are a dumping hotspot, was raised by Green councillor Tricia Austin and Labour’s Heather Keen.
PSPOs
A public spaces protection order is an order made by the Local Authority if it is satisfied on reasonable grounds that two conditions are met. These are:
That activities being carried out within a public place have had detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality or it is likely they will.
That the effect, or likely effect, of these activities is, or is likely to be, of a persistent or continuing nature, such as to make the activities unreasonable.
The orders identify public places and prohibit specific things from being done in that area or require specific things to be done in that area for a maximum of 3 years.
Breach of the order would constitute a criminal offence.
Full details of the PSPO are available on the TDC website.
