New Public Space Protection Orders to combat anti-social behaviour in Derby

Published: 21 January 2022

Following Derby City Council’s commitment to addressing the amount of anti-social behaviour in Derby, a series of new Public Space Protection Orders have come into force from January 17^th 2022.

A PSPO gives the Council a more formal way to tackle specific anti-social behaviours such as dog fouling in a defined area. The new PSPOs allows the Council to issue fines for breaching the PSPO.

The new PSPOs will help give those authorised officers of the council to combat anti-social behaviour and crime in a new way. This will include prohibitions on the below:

• Consuming alcohol in a way that which causes nuisance or annoyance to other people in the area.
• Urinating or defecating in the City Centre (excluding public toilets).
• Loitering in the City Centre either as an individual or as a group if they are causing anti-social behaviour.
• No person shall beg (using either active or passive methods of obtaining alms) or ask the members of the public for money.
• Ingesting, injecting, inhaling, smoking or otherwise using intoxicating substances (excluding alcohol, tobacco or prescribed medicine).

There is also another PSPO coming into effect on January 17^th 2022 alongside the orders mentioned above that will address the issue of dog owners allowing their dogs to foul on certain land. This order will stretch beyond Derby City Centre to Mickleover, Chellaston, Spondon and Allestree. The offences will be:

• If a dog defecates at any time on land that the person who is in charge of the dog does not own and at the time fails to remove the faeces from the land forthwith, that person shall be guilty of an offence
• A person in charge of a dog on land shall be guilty of an offence, if, at any time, they do not comply when an Authorised Officer of the Council asks them to produce a device for or other suitable means of removing dog faeces and transporting it to a bin.

Councillor Matthew Eyre, Cabinet Member for Place and Community Development, said:

“We want Derby to be a safe, fun and vibrant city. So, this year, we have already carried out two actions that are committing to our promise of making Derby safer for everyone.

Recently, our Public Protection Team moved into their new premises at Riverside Chambers on Full Street, placing them in the heart of our City where they can work closely with an array of local partners.

Now, new PsPOs are being put in place, to ensure that those officers have the power to tackle anti-social and nuisance behaviours. These orders are wide ranging and will help make sure we are protecting Derby residents, visitors and businesses alike.”

Sergeant Jamie Millard from Derbyshire Police said:

“The two PSPOs are a welcome addition to the city centre and help ensure that Derby is a safer place to live, work and visit.

As a force we have been completing significant work to provide longer term solutions to the issues of intoxication and other anti-social behaviour. However, it is important that officers and partners are able to take action against those most prolific offenders.”

These Public Space Protection Orders are the latest actions taken to help reduce anti-social behaviour, crime and disorder in Derby. Recently the Public Protection Team has relocated to Riverside Chambers in the heart of Derby City in order to be closer to where they are needed most. By taking these steps, we can help create a safer Derby for everyone.

Crime