Croydon Council will introduce a new Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to tackle antisocial behaviour in the town centre following approval at last night’s Cabinet meeting.
The new PSPO was progressed as a priority for Croydon’s Executive Mayor, Jason Perry, earlier this summer – seeking to use additional council powers to support the police in tackling antisocial behaviour.
Following initial consideration at Cabinet, Croydon residents and businesses were consulted on the PSPO – a cabinet paper published last week set out the consultation findings.
The public consultation found that 90% of respondents were in favour of introducing additional council powers to support the police in tackling antisocial behaviour in Croydon’s town centre.
The order will cover the town centre and immediately surrounding areas, including parts of South Croydon and Broad Green. Three-quarters of respondents agreed with the proposed boundary, with some suggesting that the area be widened.
Some comments highlighted the potential displacement of antisocial behaviour to the edges of the proposed area. In response to these concerns, Cabinet has agreed to review the PSPO’s immediate effects after two months to see if any changes are needed.
It is important that introducing a new PSPO will not target Croydon’s most vulnerable residents. The council is committed to continuing to work closely with mental health services, social care colleagues, substance and alcohol misuse teams and rough sleeping services to make sure these residents receive the support they need.
The PSPO will be reviewed and monitored by the Safer Croydon Partnership (SCP), which is already responsible for tracking other crime and antisocial behaviour hotspots across the borough. The order will run for three years.
Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon, said: “We’re pleased that residents and businesses have given their backing to my plans to make our town centre safer.
“A PSPO is a great way the council can use its powers to support the police and work in partnership to tackle antisocial behaviour on our streets which – from listening to residents and businesses – we know makes them feel unsafe and uncomfortable. I am clear that our community should not be expected to tolerate this kind of behaviour.
“We want to regenerate Croydon town centre and restore pride in the area, but first we need to get the basics right – which is ensuring we have clean, safe streets.”
