Five months after the introduction of an order to crack down on anti-social behaviour in Spalding town centre not a single ticket has been issued – but officials say that’s a positive sign.
Lincolnshire Police and South Holland District Council have said people are complying on request with the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) launched in December.
New South Holland community policing inspector Gareth Boxall said: “Officers regularly patrol the PSPO area in a variety of ways and I want to continue to build on this.
“Very often a warning or the confiscation of alcohol is sufficient to resolve isolated incidents along with educating those who might otherwise breach the order.
“Over the last few years, we have seen a significant reduction in the persistent street drinking offenders and associated anti-social behaviour.
“This is due undoubtedly to a range of different methods used by the police and our partners and it’s clear that a lot of hard work has gone on to getting us this far.
“I am keen that we make best use of the order that was granted and the laws that go with it but enforcement is only one way of achieving the aims of the order.”
The order makes it an offence to fail to comply with an officer’s request to stop drinking in the designated public space.
It is not a ban on drinking in a public place.
Spitting saliva or any other product onto the ground, dropping litter and urinating or defecating are also offences within the defined public area under the order and punishable by a maximum fine of £1,000 or fixed penalty of £100.
Sue Stubley, owner of Occassions Jewellers, Bridge Street, said: “I don’t think it is becoming less of a problem. The police just have more important things to do than enforce this.
“I understand that, but the more problems there are, the less likely people are to come to the town.”
A district council spokesperson said: “The fact that no breaches have been made and no tickets issued shows that the initiative is having a positive effect. We will, however, continue to monitor the situation.
“For street drinking within a PSPO area, the offence is failing to comply with an officer’s request to stop drinking. Whilst people have been spoken to for street drinking they have been compliant and we are not seeing any repeat incidents.
“We would remind people to report incidents of anti-social behaviour to our Communities team on 01775 761161 or to the police on 101.”
Coun Gary Taylor, South Holland District Council’s representative for communities, said council officers would be trained and deployed to issue tickets alongside police if necessary, but evidence does not suggest it is at the moment.
He said: “At the moment we have decided not to put council resources into affecting this. If it becomes a priority we can move the resources.”
The order covers the area from St Thomas’ Road north to West Elloe Avenue and from the railway station east to Commercial Road.
