A move to give the police more powers to clamp down on anti-social behaviour in Ashby town centre have been approved.

North West Leicestershire District Council's Cabinet on Tuesday gave the go-ahead to a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for Ashby - which will target offenders who cause trouble a result of drinking or drug taking.

The move comes after a public consultation for the PSPO during last November and December which offered strong support for the police to be able take action against offenders.

Ashby residents consulted on plan aimed at tackling anit-social behaviour.

This revealed that over 90 per cent of those who took part were in favour of taking tougher action on drink and drug-related behaviour.

The council says that the order will provide the police with an on the spot enforcement tool to be able to tackle anti-social behaviour involving alcohol and/or "psychoactive substances" within the restricted area of

Ashby. The penalty for not complying with a request from an officer would likely be a fixed penalty notice (FPN) being issued with the potential for a prosecution if the FPN is not paid or for repeat offenders. The council adds the PSPO will place prohibitions on two activities across public spaces in Ashby town centre to include Hood Park and the Bath Grounds. These will be:

• Drinking/possession of alcohol

• Use/possession of psychoactive substances

The call for a PSPO came after a number of incidents during last year's European Football Championships when a number of fans spilled out on to Market Street, which had already been closed to traffic, and confronted officers following an England victory against Germany. That saw a Police Dispersal Order introduced to the town following subsequent games. Police dispersal order will be in place in Ashby. The meeting will also hear the findings of the Public Consultation which reveals the views of the Ashby public in terms of anti-social behaviour in the town.

• 77% of respondents reported that they had experienced anti-social behaviour in the previous 12 months. The highest type of ASB related to alcohol (67 respondents) followed by litter (56), youth related (52), drugs (45), fly-tipping (18), graffiti (8), other (7).

• 104 (91.23%) respondents were in favour of introducing the PSPO to include the alcohol prohibition.

• 107 (93.86%) of respondents were in favour of introducing the PSPO to include the Psychoactive Substances prohibition.

• The Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicestershire was contacted on 16th December 2021 for comment. No response has been received.

• The Chief Officer of Police for Leicestershire Constabulary, Simon Cole, was contacted on 22nd December 2021. Inspector Richard Muldoon, Neighbourhood Policing Commander for North West Leicestershire responded as his delegate and cognisant on 22nd expressing his support for introducing the order.

• Vince Mott, representing The Friends of Bath Grounds, responded on 19th December 2021 and expressed their support in introducing the order.

• The Ashby Street Pastors chose not to make a formal comment on the proposal as they wished to remain impartial.

• The Community Safety Manager at Leicestershire County Council, expressed support of the proposal providing that adequate support was considered when the order is being used as an enforcement tool against vulnerable young people. In the event that enforcement was taken against vulnerable young people, support would be made available through a referral to the North West Leicestershire Joint Action Group (JAG)

Consultees were asked how safe they felt in the town centre at night.

• 42.66% of respondents scored themselves between 1 and 5 (10 being the score for feeling very safe).

The council report adds: "Statistics around public drinking and psychoactive substance use within the restricted area are limited due to how incidents are reported and recorded. "As neither of the two proposed prohibitions are unlawful, we are reliant on a combination of intelligence reports as well as anecdotal information to support the proposal." The council's recommendation said: "Having considered the evidence and responses from the police, the consultation and grounds maintenance staff, officers consider there are reasonable grounds to find that the activity (consumption of alcohol and/or NPS) carried out in the restricted area:

• Has had a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality

• Is persistent or continuing in nature

• Is unreasonable; and

• Justifies the restrictions imposed"