Issue - meetings

[To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Communities. Report of the Assistant Director for Environment and Community Safety.] The Council and other agencies have previously used a variety of legislative measures, to discourage groups of men from gathering and seeking illegal and unregulated work outside Wickes Store, N15, creating severe anti-social behaviour issues in the area. Cabinet will consider the use of a Public Spaces Protection Order under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to further mitigate against this Anti social behaviour.

The Cabinet Member for Communities introduced the report which sought approval for a consultation on a Public Space Protection Order to tackle anti -social behaviour that was being perpetrated in the vicinity of; and resulting from, groups of men gathering and seeking illegal and unregulated work outside Wickes in Seven Sisters Road N15.

The Cabinet Member commented that this issue had been a problem for a number of years and that a variety of agencies had targeted resources and used a variety of measures to disperse and discourage these groups. This would be the first instance of the Council seeking to use a Public Spaces Protection Order, to prevent anti-social behaviour from taking place in public Spaces.

The Leader welcomed the report and also welcomed the different approach 

being taken to resolve what had been a longstanding issue for local residents.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet, approves for consultation the draft Public Spaces Protection

Order (PSPO) as contained in Appendix 2 of the report. The consultation will

commence in accordance with section 72 of the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime

and Policing Act 2014, with consultation to run for a period of eight weeks.

Reasons for decision

The Council and its partners have undertaken various measures and activities

to tackle the Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) issues that blight residents' lives.

These issues are all associated with the men who gather at Wickes. Due to the

limited success of various measures and activities undertaken, it is considered

by officers, that an effective deterrent will be the use of the new tools and

powers available under the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

The legislation allows for the use of penalties such as Fixed Penalty Notices

and prosecution. It is proposed that, in order to support the legislation,

targeted and sustained enforcement will be used from partners including:

Haringey police, Police Partnership Team officers, immigration, British

Transport police, Tactical Enforcement, Neighbourhood Action Team officers

and ASBAT.  It must be noted that there will be a financial cost should the

authority wish to gate off an area blighted by ASB, and should the authority

prosecute any of the perpetrators. 

Alternative options considered

Not to pursue any PSPO.  Given community feedback over many years, and the

ASB being caused, this option is not considered appropriate.