Councillors back clamp down on antisocial behaviour

Nicholas Thomas, local democracy reporter

Plans to toughen antisocial behaviour rules in three areas of Newport have won the support of councillors, who hope the move will make more people feel safer in the city.

Street drinking and issues with e-bikes and e-scooters have been identified as some of the most pressing problems in the city, along with behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Newport City Council is planning to renew its Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) for the city centre and the Pill neighbourhood, and rewrite its PSPO for Maesglas to reflect the tougher stance.

PSPOs give council officers powers to sanction, fine and prosecute people breaching their terms.

The man leading the project told a council committee, on Wednesday September 4, that the vast majority of people support the measures.

That’s according to the early findings of a public consultation, which closes this week.

Paul Davies, the council’s community protection manager, said his approach would go beyond “putting a plaster on” problems linked to antisocial behaviour.

Mr Davies is a former police officer who served in Newport, and believes his experience will strengthen collaboration between the council and the police when it comes to tackling bad behaviour.

‘Holistic’ approach

He also plans to take a “holistic” approach involving other departments and agencies to make sure persistent offenders are given the support they need.

The city’s bus stations in Upper Dock Street are areas where some people have been loitering or causing a nuisance – dubbed “zombies” on social media, one councillor said.

Mr Davies said his team would work with the council’s housing and licensing departments, as well as the police, to address the “drivers and enablers” of such behaviour.

Committee members were especially keen that the PSPOs contribute to making the city centre safe to visit.

Cllr Stephen Marshall said people feared “aggressive begging”, including at cashpoints.

Another committee member, Cllr Jason Hughes, raised concerns about “e-bikes doing 40 to 50mph” and “open drug dealing”, calling the issues “intimidating”.

If the PSPOs are renewed, as expected, new signs will be put up to inform people which types of behaviour are prohibited in those areas.

Anyone breaching those orders could receive anything from a warning letter to a date in court, depending on the seriousness of their offending.

Silvia Gonzalez-Lopez, the council’s head of environment and public protection, said on-the-spot fines will also be issued to culprits.

The new approach to the PSPOs will provide “better tools that officers can use” to clamp down on antisocial behaviour, she explained.

Cllr Pat Drewett, the cabinet member for communities, said “nobody wants to have PSPOs” but “we need to keep members of the public safe… in the areas where they live”.

Their use will be “for the benefit of everyone”, he added.