Agenda item

[Report of the Director  for Environment and Neighbourhoods. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Communities, Safety and Engagement.]

This report provides the Cabinet with the findings of the statutory consultation on the proposed introduction of a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for Love Lane Estate, Northumberland Ward and seeks approval for the introduction of the PSPO.

The Cabinet Member for Communities, Safety and Engagement introduced this report which provided Cabinet with the findings of the statutory consultation on the proposed introduction of a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for Love Lane Estate, Northumberland Ward, and sought approval for the introduction of the PSPO.

The Cabinet Member highlighted the long running issues faced on the Love Lane Estate, including anti-social behaviour, drug dealing, prostitution and homelessness. The proposed PSPO was an enforcement initiative. The implementation of the PSPO would involve collaboration between various services within the Council, the police, Homes for Haringey, Regeneration, Local businesses, Local Resident Association and support services such as Drug & Alcohol Service Haringey (DASH) and other agencies as appropriate. The Cabinet Member claimed the PSPO would provide an effective measure in helping to prevent anti-social behaviour.

The Head of Community, Safety and Enforcement provided further background. The PSPO would be seeking to restrict the high level of alcohol consumption, drug taking, and prostitution taking place around the Love Lane Estate. All residents in Love Lane had been written to by the Council, explaining the ongoing issues and how the Council was seeking to address them, such as through a PSPO. The Council found a large number of residents who had responded were in support of the PSPO. There would be a three week period of pre-enforcement in which outreach officers would engage with individuals the PSPO would affect. Following that, the PSPO would come into force. Fines would not be issued to homeless or rough sleepers but officers would engage with those individuals to provide assistance, wherever possible. 

Following a question from Cllr Amin, Officers confirmed the Council was actively engaging with Homes for Haringey as this was an estate under their charge and visits would be carried out in partnership with them.

RESOLVED

To approve the introduction and implementation of a PSPO in the terms of the draft attached at Appendix 1, for a period of three years effective from 23^rd  January 2019  having taken into account the EQIA at Appendix 2, and the consultation report at Appendix 3.

Reasons for decision

In accordance with the statutory guidelines the Council consulted with the Chief Officer of the police as well as the local policing body for the affected areas, and they have confirmed their agreement to the introduction of the PSPO.

In addition a public consultation was carried out to ascertain the views of local residents, business and people working or visiting the affected area.  The outcome presented an overwhelming support for the PSPO.  The outcome of the Public consultation can be found at Appendix 3.

The Council and partner agencies have undertaken a number of enforcement actions to tackle the anti-social behaviour on the estate.  The main concern is and has been for a number of years, the significant presence of drug dealing and drug misuse. Regrettably this is not a solitary problem on the estate. It gives rise to and serves as a magnet for a number of other serious anti-social behaviour and crime which plague the lives of local residents such as; people loitering in the common parts of building (including the stairways) using illegal and/or illicit substances; soliciting and engaging in illicit sex work; and the sight and stench of urine and faeces in the stairways.

A number of partly successful actions have been taken against individuals to prohibit them from entering the estate (as detailed in appendix 1 of the Cabinet report of 8 November 2017), unfortunately, this has not resolved the issues. The PSPO will provide the police and council enforcement service with an additional tool for tackling this serious problem.

Alternative options considered

Not to pursue a PSPO

Given the length of time that the behaviour has been ongoing and the detrimental effect the behaviour is having on the residents of Love Lane this is not an option. In the absence of a PSPO, the Council would have to continue to undertake individual enforcement action; reliance on this method would not be as effective or efficient as a PSPO. 

Enforcement action against individuals requires the identification of individuals, which is not always possible and can entail lengthy and costly legal proceedings.  A PSPO would serve as a significant deterrent; hence, identity and legal actions may not be an issue.  In addition, the number and turnover of perpetrators in this locality has been significant; action against an individual may end that person’s activity in the defined area but would not necessarily deter others. Reliance on individual enforcement action could become extremely costly and interminable for the council, as new perpetrators are appearing all the time.