New law to battle anti-social behaviour in Tooting's public spaces

By The Editor 19th Oct 2020

Local News by The Editor 19th Oct 2020

A new Public Space Protection Order has come into effect to help keep public spaces in Tooting and the rest of the borough safe.

The PSPO will prohibit specific activity within a defined area to tackle issues affecting quality of life.

This order, which came into effect on 15th October, has replaced a range of orders across the borough that were set to expire.

The new PSPO for public spaces aims to tackle:

- Anti-social behaviour caused by drinking alcohol in a public space.

- Use and possession of Novel Psychoactive Substances in a public space. This covers chemical substances which produce similar effects to illegal drugs. One example is Nitrous Oxide which comes in the silver canisters sometimes found on the ground in public spaces.

- Dog control in parks, open spaces, public highways and pavements.

Breaching a PSPO without a reasonable excuse is a criminal offence and can result in a fine or fixed penalty notice.

Councillor Steffi Sutters, Cabinet Member for Community Services and Open Spaces said:

"Earlier this year we asked local people for their views about these proposed orders.

"It is clear residents want to be able to enjoy a trip to the park or a walk through their neighbourhood without having to deal with other people behaving in a selfish, irresponsible or dangerous way.

"I hope these orders send a clear signal that we will do all we can to keep our parks and public spaces safe."

The PSPO would be introduced for three years and will be reviewed on a regular basis.

Councillor Jonathan Cook, Community Safety lead member and Chair of the Safer Neighbourhood Board added:

"It's important that we keep our public spaces safe for the community to enjoy. This new borough-wide protection order has been put in place to protect residents from nuisance and irresponsible behaviour in our open spaces."

You are able to view the full PSPO HERE.