Anti-social behaviour crackdown could be scrapped after no prosecutions

Bruce Sinclair, Local Democracy Reporter

No prosecutions have been brought under a town-centre anti-social behaviour order which councillors now want to scrap.

A Pembrokeshire County Council scrutiny committee backed ending Haverfordwest’s Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) after officers said it was not “fit for purpose in its current form”.

The order, approved in 2022, restricted drinking in public spaces and was intended to tackle persistent anti-social behaviour involving groups of young people and threatening behaviour.

Breaches can result in fixed penalty notices, but Dyfed-Powys Police told the council it no longer issued these and instead pursued breaches through prosecution. None have been brought for breaches of the town’s order.

A report presented to the committee said there was “currently insufficient evidence to demonstrate that the continuation of the existing Public Spaces Protection Order remains necessary, proportionate and justified”.

Members supported a recommendation to end the scheme, with one abstention. Full council will make the final decision.

Haverfordwest Garth councillor Anji Tinley said: “This has had its chance to work with nothing to show for it. It was implemented to do a job that is different to what the PSPO was designed to do.”

The recommendation comes despite continuing concerns about anti-social behaviour in the town.

Police recorded 656 incidents across Pembrokeshire between last June and this May, including 162 in Haverfordwest.

Of the town’s incidents, just over 47% involved groups, just over 44% involved young people and just over 14% involved alcohol. Nearly a third involved young people gathering in groups.

The report, by joint cabinet member for communities Cllr Aaron Carey, said youth-related anti-social behaviour and groups gathering in public places remained relevant concerns.

However, it questioned whether the order’s restrictions were proportionate and targeted the behaviour most commonly reported, particularly given the relatively low proportion of alcohol-related incidents.

PSPOs are intended to address specific behaviour that harms, or is likely to harm, people’s quality of life in an area.

The Haverfordwest order followed public consultation and council debates about problems in the town centre.

Before its introduction, councillors had heard claims of groups of children roaming the town, verbal and physical abuse of members of the public, and drug dealing.

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