Plymouth residents asked to shape future of anti-social behaviour order
Plymouth City Council has launched a public consultation on extending a city-wide Public Spaces Protection Order, with residents invited to share their experiences of alcohol-related anti-social behaviour and community safety
Plymouth residents are being asked for their views on whether a city-wide order aimed at tackling alcohol-related anti-social behaviour should remain in place for a further three years.
Plymouth City Council has launched a public consultation on extending the current Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), which is due to expire in October 2026.
The order was first introduced in 2020 and was further extended in 2023.
It gives authorised officers powers to ask people to stop drinking alcohol in public spaces and to surrender alcohol where they believe it may help prevent anti-social behaviour, public nuisance or disorder.
In a statement announcing the consultation, the council said: "We’re asking for your views on the future of a city-wide order that helps tackle alcohol-related anti-social behaviour."
The council added that feedback would help it understand "how well it's working", "how alcohol-related anti-social behaviour affects you" and whether residents believe the order should be extended.
Under the current PSPO, a person can be required to stop consuming alcohol, or what is reasonably believed to be alcohol, if requested by an authorised officer.
People can also be required to surrender sealed or unsealed containers of alcohol in certain circumstances.
The consultation asks residents whether they believe alcohol-related anti-social behaviour is an issue in Plymouth, how much it affects their local area, and whether the PSPO should continue until 2029.
An announcement by Plymouth City Council prompted discussion on social media, with locals expressing a range of views on the causes of anti-social behaviour in the city.
While some residents supported extending the order and cited concerns about street drinking and anti-social behaviour in the city centre, others argued that drug use, homelessness and a lack of support services were now the larger issues.
Some respondents questioned whether the PSPO alone could address the root causes of anti-social behaviour.
The council says information submitted as part of the consultation will be used only for the purpose of the survey and that published results will be anonymous.
The consultation is open until midnight on Sunday, June 21, and residents can take part through the council's online consultation portal.