Consultation Launched On New Pspo For Rhyl

Denbighshire County Council is consulting on an initiative to tackle anti-social behaviour in the town centre and other areas of Rhyl.

Following a successful three-year Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in the town, a consultation has been launched on a second order following an application by North Wales Police based on evidence in dealing with and responding to complaints of anti-social behaviour.

The Council is running a one-month consultation for members of the public and business owners to share their views on whether to place stricter controls on the consumption of alcohol, loitering under the influence of substances and begging in a designated restriction area within Rhyl town to prevent and reduce anti-social behaviour.

The order would prohibit such activities from taking place and enable fixed penalty notices to be issued to people if individuals were engaging in street drinking, begging and anti-social behaviour in certain areas of the town centre and West Rhyl.

Additional powers would also include being able to disperse large groups causing anti-social behaviour not connected to the use of drink or drugs, acting on third-party intelligence to move on those aggressively targeting members of the public for the purposes of begging and being able to move on street drinkers with unopened containers.

If people ignore the fixed penalty notice, or refuse to comply with it, then the individuals may be taken to or the case heard before a Magistrates Court.

The ability to designate an area as a PSPO was created by the 2014 Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act which is intended to help communities deal with anti-social behaviours that are causing problems and nuisances in their areas.

Emlyn Jones, the Council’s Head of Planning and Public Protection Services, said: “The first PSPO was extremely successful and helped give extra powers to tackle anti-social behaviour.

“The Council wants to know if the public considers a PSPO to be relevant and is encouraging as many local people as possible to complete the online consultation and give their views.

“We believe this new order will build on the work in the first order and will have a positive impact on the local community by further reducing anti-social behaviour and helping improve the quality of life for residents and visitors in this part of Rhyl.”