Dartford council re-introduces public space protection order in town centre crackdown on drinking, drugs and street racing
Street racers, curbside drinkers and drug abusers are being targeted as part of a crackdown on antisocial behaviour.
Dartford council has agreed to re-introduce a public space protection order (PSPO) in the town centre following a spate of incidents post-lockdown.
The order will give police and council officers greater power to combat troublesome behaviour and issue penalty notices leading to fines.
It includes the ability to confiscate alcohol and clamp down on anti-social vehicle use such as racing, performing stunts and sounding horns between 8pm and 6am.
Central Park and the War Memorial are two areas that have been specifically ring-fenced as needing protection.
The PSPO, which also extends across the Town centre, has been introduced following a public consultation and will last until 2024.
It was last put in place in 2017 to address a similar range of anti-social activities and ended in 2019 but has been brought back following a recent bout of incidents.
The council and Dartford Town Against Crime Business Crime Reduction Partnership (DTAC) began enforcing the order last month.
Since then, there have been 27 fines issued for street drinking and four for public drug abuse.
Council leader Jeremy Kite said its re-introduction would represent an "intense period" of action to crackdown on isolated cases of poor behaviour.
The top Tory said: "It is frustrating to have come back from lockdown to a very small group of people who cause a disproportionate amount of trouble."
Failure to follow the rules of a PSPO puts an offender at risk of a £100 fixed penalty notice (FPN), reduced to £60 if paid within 10 days.
Breach is considered a criminal offence and carries a maximum penalty of a £1,000 fine.
FPNs can be used in certain circumstances where an individual accepts that they have "broken the law" but wishes to avoid a court appearance.
If an individual does not have the means to pay, or professes their innocence, they can elect to appear before a Magistrate who may impose a sanction if found guilty.
Use of PSPOs in other parts of the county have come under fire from human rights groups previously, particularly with regards to rough sleepers.
But Cllr Kite explained anyone vulnerable or in need of support, would be offered help for an addiction or put in touch with a charitable support service.
The council leader explained the PSPO was not about displacing people from the town centre but "removing them from the cause of their problems".
He added: “It’s always a shame when we have to get heavy on enforcement, but when we do, we have no hesitation.
“Alcohol and drug abuse can significantly impact the rights of other people to enjoy the town centre.
“We are here to assist people who may have problems with addiction, but the protection of the wider community is fundamental to us and we will always take whatever steps necessary to enforce and make the area safe.”
Cllr Kite added the PSPO might also be used in the future to help tackle the problem of nuisance drivers in surrounding areas.
He pointed to the recent bouts of boy racers and irresponsible driving seen in Greenhithe where a dispersal order was introduced this weekend.