Public Spaces Protection Order in Downton due to start

In June 2022, Wiltshire Council sought the public's views on a Public Spaces Protections Order (PSPO in Downton and Redlynch to address anti-social behaviour in the area. Following a positive response to the consultation the order has been made on 31 August 2022.

PSPOs were created by the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, and are intended to deal with any nuisance or anti-social behaviour within a defined area that is detrimental to the local community's quality of life. In this instance, it is related to the use of catapults, slingshots and similar items capable of launching a projectile which could cause harm or damage.

Following the order being confirmed, the Police can enforce any breaches and issue those concerned with an on-the-spot Fixed Penalty Notice of £100. The order is open to appeal for six weeks following the date the order was confirmed. Those wishing to challenge the order must do so in the High Court.

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: We want to thank everyone who responded to the consultation and we are glad that the order has now been granted.

In this instance the response was overwhelmingly in favour of it being brought in, and now that the order is in place, we hope that it will act as a useful deterrent to help to ease the anti-social behaviour problem in Downton and Redlynch.

As stated in our Business Plan, we want Wiltshire to be a place where people are safe, and the action we have taken here will support that.

To find out more about the PSPO for Downton and Redlynch and what is included in the order, people can visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk/community-safety-pspo