Measures to combat anti-social behaviour in Hastings and St Leonards set to go live

Mike Hepworth, assistant director responsible for environment and place at Hastings Borough Council, said: “These PSPOs are being introduced as the result of extensive consultation, and are intended to reduce anti-social behaviour across the town.

“The anti-social behaviour PSPO will include a town-wide ban on aggressive begging; a town-wide requirement to surrender alcohol if requested; a ban on the drinking of alcohol in public in certain parts of the Old Town, town centre and central St Leonards, and parts of the seafront and beach; and general anti-social behaviour including screaming and shouting or causing annoyance, alarm, harassment or distress in certain parts of town, including the Old Town, part of the West Hill, the town centre, and central St Leonards, and parts of the seafront and beach.

“Enforcement of PSPOs will be carried out both by the police and Hastings Borough Council, and penalties will include community protection warnings, community protection notices, £100 fixed penalty notices, prosecution, and civil injunctions.

“We are also using the opportunity of PSPOs to improve dog controls. Dog fouling will be included, as will dog exclusion areas and the requirement to put dogs on leads if asked to do so, although there is no significant change from the existing rules.

“However, there are some changes to the requirements regarding dogs being kept on leads in parks and open spaces.

“Initially enforcement will be by Hastings Borough Council staff, with dog fouling also likely to be enforced by specialist enforcement contractors acting on behalf of the council in the near future. Penalties for non-compliance include £100 fixed penalty notices, or prosecution.

“There has been considerable public support for us taking a tougher line on dog fouling, which is why we are appointing specialist enforcement contractors to help us with this; they will not be enforcing other dog controls for the time being.”

Full details of the new PSPOs will be on our website at www.hastings.gov.uk/pspo by Friday (June 9) and will come into effect from Monday (June 12).

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