ROTHER District Council has launched a survey to find out how to improve public space safety, particularly for residents living in Bexhill, Battle and Camber.
The council is conducting the research until September 2, 2024, on whether or not to renew or extend our current public space protection order (PSPO) about certain anti-social behaviour in Rother.
The current public space protection order runs for three years and ends in April 2025.
The council says they aim to find out about the effect of the current order and if it needs updating, and wants to ask which types of anti-social behaviours are having a particular detrimental effect on public safety.
The council will draft a proposal for a new order after they have gathered this information.
Then, a public consultation will be carried out in the autumn.
The council says they are particularly keen to hear from Battle, Bexhill, Rye and Camber residents, businesses and services in or near town centres and public spaces.
Local organisations involved in housing and homelessness, low-income and crime and anti-social behaviour are also welcome to submit their views.
You can take part in the survey here: smartsurvey.co.uk/s/PSPO2024/
The council wants to find out if there is a case to keep the current order. Here is the summary of the current Public Space Protection Order:
A police constable, a police community support officer and an authorised officer from Rother District Council can implement the order.
- Consuming alcohol in public places in Bexhill, Battle and Camber.
- The exception is within the curtilage of licensed premises.
- The authorised officer may require that person to not consume the alcohol.
- In addition, they can require the person to surrender anything in their possession the officer reasonably believes is alcohol or a container of alcohol.
- The authorised officer may issue a fixed penalty notice of £100 as an alternative to prosecution. Those in breach of the order, consuming alcohol or refusing to surrender alcohol, is liable to summary conviction to a maximum penalty of £500 (level 2 fine).
- Aggressive or assertive behaviour while begging or soliciting for money in Bexhill, Battle and Rye parishes.
- The authorised officer may issue a fixed penalty notice of £100 as an alternative to prosecution. Those in breach of the order is liable to summary conviction to a maximum penalty of £1000 (level 3 fine).
- Rough sleeping, or leaving any materials used as bedding, in a public space in the whole of the Rother district.
- In the first instance, any person contravening this condition will be given a warning, advice and/or signposted to support services.
- This order applies to lying down, sleeping in the open air or within a vehicle or other non-fixed structure such as a caravan or tent. It includes shop doorways and car parks.
- The authorised officer may issue a fixed penalty notice of £100 as an alternative to prosecution. Those in breach of the order is liable to summary conviction to a maximum penalty of £1000 (level 3 fine).
