Agenda item

The Council’s existing 11 Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO) for the control of alcohol in specified roads in Haringey expired on 18 October 2023.  

On 11 September 2023, the Lead Member for Community Safety and Cohesion ratified the approval made by the Director of Environment and Resident Experience on 8 August 2023 decision to consult on the extension and variation of the existing PSPOs and the purpose of the report was to present the outcome of the consultation and to seek approval for the extension of the PSPO to 30 April 2025. 

The Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Cohesion RESOLVED to

1.    Extend the existing alcohol control PSPO’s in  

I.             Bounds Green Ward (Appendix C), 

II.            II. Harringay Ward (Appendix D),

III.          III. Noel Park Ward (Appendix E),

IV.          IV. Tottenham Hale Ward (Appendix F),

V.           V. Woodside Ward (Appendix G) 

VI.          VI. West Green Ward (Appendix H).

2.    Extend and slightly vary Bruce Grove PSPO so that it encompasses the roads within the formally named Bruce Grove Ward and the existing Tottenham Central Ward as outlined in the attached schedule (Bruce Grove Public Space Protection Order) Appendix I.  

3.    Extend and slightly vary Northumberland Park Ward PSPO so that it encompasses the roads within Bruce Castle Ward as outlined in the attached schedule (Northumberland Park Public Space Protection Order) Appendix J. 

4.    Extend and slightly vary the Seven Sisters Ward PSPO so that it encompasses the roads within Seven Sisters Ward, South Tottenham Ward and Hermitage Gardens Ward as outlined in the attached schedule (Northumberland Park Public Space Protection Order) Appendix K.

5.    Extend and slightly vary the St Ann’s PSPO so that it encompasses the roads within Seven Sisters Ward, South Tottenham Ward and Hermitage Gardens Ward as outlined in the attached schedule (Northumberland Park Public Space Protection Order) Appendix L. 

6.    Extend and slightly vary the Tottenham Green Ward PSPO so that it encompasses the roads within Seven Sisters Ward, South Tottenham Ward and Hermitage Gardens Ward as outlined in the attached schedule (Northumberland Park Public Space Protection Order) Appendix M.

Reasons for decision

Despite some reduction in incidents of alcohol related ASB (anti -Social Behaviour) still occurs. There were seasonal increases in reports of activity within the identified areas, which showed there was an ongoing need for the PSPO to remain in place. Local residents, businesses and other stakeholders continued to express concerns about alcohol related ASB. The reports received from residents’ businesses, included that groups of mem and women drank alcohol, broke glass bottles, threw litter and waste on the ground, including urinating in the area. The enforcement service regularly received reports about alcohol related ASB. It was not unusual for the reports to include other (noise, spitting) ASB activities. As a result, the reports were often logged under other (noise, drugs, litter) ASB categories which could make pulling accurate Alcohol consumption ASDB data challenging. There was a need for extending and varying the PSPOs to help ensure that the law-abiding majority could safely use and enjoy public spaces. They were introduced by the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 and were intended to deal with behaviours that were detrimental to the local community’s quality of life, by imposing conditions on everyone using the area. 

On 20 October 2017, Haringey replaced its Designated Public Places Orders (also known as Alcohol Control Zones) with PSPOs, with requirements and prohibitions mirroring the previous conditions.  Following an extensive consultation process in 2020 the PSPOs were subject to some geographical expansion and extended to 19 October 2023.

There were separate PSPOs which covered specified roads within 11 wards.  Although some Ward names and boundaries were changed on 5 May 2022, this did not impact on the specified roads covered by the PSPOs.    

The PSPO may be extended more than once if the local authority was satisfied on reasonable grounds that doing so is necessary to prevent: (a) occurrence or recurrence after that time of the activities identified in the order, or  (b) an increase in the frequency or seriousness of those activities after that time.

Initial discussion with the Police, Councillors and other community representatives had indicated that there was an appetite to consider varying and possibly expanding the conditions of the PSPO to address wider community concerns. To enable full, meaningful consultation and co-production of future conditions, the views of the public on extending the current PSPO were sought and 95%, 40 out of 42, of respondents agreed with this approach.

It was expected that it would take approximately 12 months to fully investigate the issues that had been raised and undertake full, meaningful consultation and coproduction of any future PSPO prohibitions.  It was therefore proposed to extend the current PSPO to 30 April 2025.

A Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPO) set clear conditions for the use of the specified public areas.  It enabled officers authorised by the Council and Police Officers to engage individuals and educate them about their responsibilities regarding the consumption of alcohol and give them an opportunity to comply with the condition.  If an individual refused to engage and comply the officer could take further action, such as confiscating the alcohol and disposing of it or and issuing a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN), if appropriate.

This was an important tool for the local authority to ensure that public spaces and amenities were clean and could be used safely.  

Alternative options considered 

Not to extend the PSPO. 

If the PSPO conditions were to expire, it would be necessary to remove all related signage and it was likely that the issues it was introduced to address would recur.