Agenda and minutes

To receive from Members declarations as to disclosable pecuniary, other registerable and non registerable interests in relation to any Agenda Item. See Notes below.

No declarations were received.

To consider a report by the Community Protection and Enforcement Leader setting out a proposal for a Public Space Protection Order for Eynesbury, St Neots.

With the assistance of a report by the Community Protection and Enforcement Team Leader (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Committee considered a proposal for the implementation of a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) in response to increasing concerns in relation to anti-social behaviour in the Eynesbury area of St Neots, predominantly attributed towards temporary accommodation guests staying at the Nags Head Hotel on Berkley Street, Eynesbury.

The Committee were advised of the background to the proposal, together with the types of behaviours which residents and visitors to the area were experiencing. Information on the efforts which had already been undertaken to address the issues arising within the locality was also provided.  Members attention was then drawn to the enforcement options which were available to the District Council to address this anti-social behaviour under the Crime and Policing Act 2014, and which had been considered in determining the preferred option for addressing the issues in the area.

Members were informed that a public consultation had been carried out between 30th May to 14th June 2024 on the proposal which had produced 48 responses. Forty-seven of which had been in support of the proposed PSPO and the proposed conditions. Attention was then drawn to the risks associated with the PSPO should it be considered, which are outlined in detail in Section 4.2 of the report.

The Committee were informed that enforcement of the proposed PSPO for Eynesbury would utilise resources from Cambridgeshire Constabulary and the District Council’s Community Protection and Enforcement Team.

In discussing the proposals and the options presented to them, the Committee were informed that monthly meetings would be held between the Police and the District Council to review the enforcement and the efficacy of the conditions in reducing anti-social behaviour in the area. If it was found not to be effective, consideration could be given to utilising alternative methods of Anti-Social legislation. Confirmation was also sought as to the effectiveness of PSPOs in other areas in reducing anti-social behaviours and the Committee were advised that there were examples of other authorities, including the District Council utilising them for all sorts of issues in a successful manner.

Members commented on the likelihood of collecting any fixed penalty fines given the financial status of the majority of perpetrators and it was explained that in most cases officers would be seeking prosecutions.

Clarification was also sought on the funding which had been made available for the deployable CCTV cameras. Members were informed that funding had been secured for 6 months and it was hoped that this would be replaced by further grant funding going forward should the PSPO prove to be effective. Comment was also made regarding the potential to seek funding / support from other authorities who were placing individuals in the area. In response to which the Executive Councillor explained the process under which local authorities placed individuals in overflow temporary accommodation outside of their authority area and reiterated that such individuals remained under  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.