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Independent Spelthorne Group (ISG)

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Antisocial Behaviour: New Powers

Spelthorne Borough Council has agreed to introduce a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) aimed at tackling antisocial behaviour.

A consultation was held in November 2024 asking residents to give their views on proposals to give additional powers to the Police and Council in the form of a PSPO to deal with antisocial behaviour relating to:

  • Antisocial use of bicycles, e-bikes, skateboards, e-scooters, hoverboards and similar devices
  • se of face coverings such as masks, balaclavas and scarves
  • Possession of catapults, slingshots or similar items

Current Spelthorne PSPOs can be viewed here

What does this mean?

The PSPO means that a person will commit an offence if they fail to comply with a request by an authorised officer to cease any of the controlled behaviours within the specified area. Breach of the PSPO could result in either a Fixed Penalty Notice or prosecution.

There are certain exemptions to the PSPO, where for example a person is wearing a face covering for medical, cultural, or religious reasons, or using a catapult for a legitimate purpose, such as a bait catapult when fishing.

You can report problems with antisocial behaviour at www.spelthorne.gov.uk/report 

Behaviours prohibited under the PSPO

An authorised person may request a person to dismount if they are e-cycling, cycling, skateboarding, hover-boarding, e-scootering or using similar devices in the borough where they reasonably suspect that the person is riding in a malicious and/or dangerous manner as to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person within the borough of Spelthorne.

A person is prohibited from wearing face coverings in an attempt to conceal their identity to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person; this includes scarves, balaclavas and masks. This would not include face covering worn in respect of religious or cultural beliefs/medical reasons.

Has an offense been committed?

In the borough of Spelthorne a person commits an offence if without reasonable excuse he or she does any of the following:

1) Possesses a catapult, slingshot or similar item capable of launching a missile that could cause harm or damage to a person, animal or property. This does not preclude the powers of the police with regard to an item recognised in law as an offensive weapon;

2) Fails to surrender any catapult, slingshot or similar item capable of launching a projectile in their possession when asked to do so by an authorised person.

3) Possesses stones, ball bearings, pellets or similar item(s) capable of being launched as a projectile, by a catapult, slingshot or similar item or by manual force, that could cause harm or damage to a person, animal or property.

4) Fails to surrender any stones, ball bearings, pellets or similar item(s) capable of being launched as a missile by a catapult, slingshot or similar item when asked to do so by an authorised person.

Residents Feedback

A total of 677 responses to the consultation were received, with 98% of respondents agreeing with the proposals in relation to cycling/e-bikes/skateboards/hoverboards, 99% in favour of those relating to face coverings/masks/balaclavas/scarves and 98% in favour of those regarding catapults and slingshots.

Chair of the Community Wellbeing & Housing Committee, Cllr Susan Doran, said: “Residents have told us that they want to see more action being taken in relation to antisocial behaviour and this PSPO will give the Council and Police more powers to tackle some of the behaviours that have become a problem in recent years. It won’t solve everything in isolation, but it will be another tool that we can use alongside existing measures.”

***Repost https://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/article/22123/Council-approves-new-Public-Space-Protection-Order

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