Views are being sought on proposals to expand powers to tackle nuisance street drinking, begging and loitering in York amid concerns over how they could be used.
A consultation on powers including asking people to leave the city centre for 24 hours, removing large groups and banning drinking was approved on Tuesday, September 2.
Cllr Michael Pavlovic, public protection spokesperson for York Council’s Labour administration, said people were understandably concerned about rising antisocial behaviour and called for views on how the powers could work.
But Green Party activist Denise Craghill said the current proposals risked handing sweeping powers to the authorities to drive homeless people and rough sleepers out of the city centre.
Proposals set for a consultation would see the scope of two public space protection orders (PSPOs) covering York city centre and The Groves, Union Terrace and Clarence Street Gardens expanded.
It comes after 573 incidents including of antisocial behaviour, violence and others causing safety concerns were recorded within York’s city walls in the first seven months of this year.
The first three months of this year also saw 27 incidents in the Union Terrace area, council figures showed.
Proposals discussed on Tuesday would see new powers added to the two PSPOs which were first brought in in 2022 but are up for renewal this year.
A council report stated officials and North Yorkshire Police officers could get powers to impose drinking bans on areas where it is fuelling antisocial behaviour if the plans go ahead.
The powers would not affect areas where drinking is taking place responsibly and police officers already have the power to seize alcohol where it is causing antisocial behaviour.
These are some of the proposed powers:
- People causing antisocial behaviour could also be asked to leave the city centre and they would not be allowed to return for 24 hours without good reason.
- Groups of three people or more could also be removed.
- Begging or loitering causing or likely to cause nuisance, annoyance, distress, harrassment or alarm to people in the city centre would also be banned.
- Prohibitions against nuisance loitering cover people sitting or laying in the doorways of places such as banks, supermarkets or near cash machines.
Those breaching the orders could be fined or prosecuted in the most serious cases.
Proposals for The Groves aim to tackle street drinking particularly in the Union Terrace car park, one of the main stopping points for coaches bringing visitors to York.
Focus on hotspots
A council decision session on Tuesday heard powers to remove people for 24 hours would focus on particular hotspots in the areas covered by both PSPOs.
Council community safety manager Paul Morrison said the powers were not aimed at all homeless people but at ones and others who behave in certain ways.
Speaking at yesterday’s meeting, public protection executive member Cllr Pavlovic said the council was keen to hear people’s views on which proposals they did or did not support.
Cllr Pavlovic said: “There are understandable concerns about street drinking and aggressive behaviour, we have sadly seen in recent months that there has been an inceease in city centre antisocial behaviour.
“People shouldn’t have to beg or be homeless, we want to make the circumstances that make that necessary for some unnecessary, and these powers may encourage people to seek out support.
“Please engage with the process, if you support this or you’re against it or support it in part.”
York Green Party Chair Ms Craghill said they were sympathetic with those who felt uncomfortable because of street drinking and those powers could prove useful.
But she added the current proposals were vague and open to interpretation, raising questions about what behaviour would specifically breach the orders and where removed people would go.
Ms Craghill said: “These proposed new powers read as blanket proposals to drive all beggars, rough sleepers and homeless people out of the city centre, with potentially serious implications for human rights.
“We’d all like to see a city centre without beggars or rough sleepers but this needs to be because there is no longer any reason for people to be rough-sleeping or feeling that begging is their only option, driving people out of the centre doesn’t sound like a solution.”
