Drunken behaviour, dog-fouling, substance misuse and defecating in public spaces set to be tackled with new powers
By Simon Allin, Local Democracy Reporter

Hendon Town Hall

Barnet Council could bring in tough new measures to crack down on antisocial behaviour.

Councillors agreed to hold a consultation on borough-wide powers to tackle problems such as alcohol-related nuisance, dog fouling and substance misuse during a meeting on Monday.

The plan would involve introducing a borough-wide public spaces protection order (PSPO), allowing the council and police to identify, challenge and prosecute people who behave antisocially.

A report by town hall officers says the PSPO is needed to tackle problem behaviour following a “significant number of complaints” around issues of public safety and nuisance.

PSPOs work by setting out a range of behaviour that is off-limits in public spaces. The zone proposed by Barnet Council could cover twelve issues, including alcohol-related nuisance, dog-fouling, substance misuse and urinating or defecating in a public space.

People caught in breach of a PSPO can be issued with a £100 fixed penalty notice. Repeat offenders can receive community protection notices, criminal behaviour orders or civil injunctions, which could mean unlimited fines or imprisonment.

The council introduced PSPOs covering alcohol-related nuisance and antisocial behaviour in Burnt Oak, Childs Hill, Edgware Town Centre and High Barnet between 2018 and 2021. It says these led to reductions in antisocial behaviour and several other benefits, including a drop in the number of alcohol-related callouts for London Ambulance Service.

PSPOs can run for up to three years, with any changes requiring further consultation. The council will run a consultation to gauge the level of public support for the PSPO and for each of the twelve areas it is proposed to cover.

The council confirmed after the meeting that the community leadership and libraries committee agreed to go ahead with the consultation.

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else. £84 annual supporters get a print copy by post and a digital copy of each month's before anyone else.