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Town Councillors discuss new Public Protection Order tackling antisocial behaviour in Thatcham




Town councillors are discussing the introduction of a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to tackle antisocial behaviour.

With rising cases of crime in the town, West Berkshire Council has been requested to implement the PSPO in Thatcham following its successful use in Newbury.

The order will grant police officers delegated powers, from the local authority, to restrict an individual who has committed an antisocial act, to remove themselves from the area for up to 24 hours.

Antisocial behaviour in Thatcham has sparked a potential Public Spaces Protection Order
Antisocial behaviour in Thatcham has sparked a potential Public Spaces Protection Order

In February of last year, the order was implemented in Newbury town centre and, since then, there has only been one breach.

There is also a restricting access implemented in Speen, where a gate has been restricting access to a footway in an attempt to reduce crime.

West Berkshire Council's senior community coordinator Alexandra O’Connor sat down with Thatcham town councillors on February 28 to discuss how Thatcham’s Broadway could benefit from the same.

She said: “This is not to target individuals but to reduce antisocial behaviour. The key messages from consultation proposals are not to impact those who enjoy visiting, work or live in the area but to make sure the majority can enjoy the place.”

Councillor Owen Jeffery (Lib Dem, Thatcham Central) said: “We are a pleasant town and a nice community, however in communal areas with 25,000 to 30,000 people, you’re going to have some situations that might not be appropriate interactions.

“The PSPO concept is to allow police to have that extra power between arresting somebody and just looking at them harshly.

“If we accept [the PSPO], and if it proceeds, will allow police officers to tell someone to back off and not come back for 24 hours.

"That’s not too harsh, that’s not arresting somebody, it is giving them the chance to pause and think about how they are behaving and not do it again in the future.”

Despite councillors' approval for the concept of the order, points were raised concerning the delegation of powers, the efficiency of Newbury’s PSPO, the dispersal of antisocial behaviour elsewhere and others that are to be formally discussed through written correspondence between the two authorities.

Steve Ardagh-Walter (Con, Thatcham Colthrop and Crookham) asked the West Berkshire Council officer: “Based on evidence in Newbury, has this definitely made a difference there?

"Could we expect if it was introduced, that the number of incidents or people feeling uncomfortable will reduce?”

The councillor, who is also the executive member for the environment on West Berkshire Council, was told that Newbury town centre has seen an improvement since its implementation, with people respecting police officers' initial requests for them to leave the areas in question.

Mr Ardagh-Walter also asked: “While I am confident that the police are sensitive in applying this, I am wondering whether there’s a risk of deterring all young people that are bored and have nowhere to go in an evening to leave the town centre and hang around the pavilion and The Moors or somewhere.

“Is there a risk of dispersing the problem rather than curing it?”

The senior community coordinator said that she was “very keen to avoid that situation”.

She added: “Displacement is a concern and it is something I have discussed with the police.

“We don’t want people to think they can’t go town so they are going to go everywhere that is not on the PSPO. That hasn’t happened in Newbury. We hope we will not see it in Thatcham.”

Meeting chairman Jeremy Cottam (Lib Dem, Thatcham North Eats) concluded by saying: “I thoroughly support this. The reason for this is that it is less heavy than having to give warnings and arresting.

"This is a much, much better way especially with younger people.

"You don’t want to criminalise them and I would like to proceed with saying we will talk it though with them.

“We do have to make the Broadway, the town centre and other areas much more user friendly.

"Sometimes people feel uncomfortable and I feel this supports them and makes them feel safe. It will calm the whole situation down.”



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