Issue - meetings

Purpose of Report

To inform the Executive of the proposal to implement a Public Space Protection Order to allow the gating of St Peter’s Passage in Lincoln.

Decision

That the Public Space Protection Order permitting the gating of St Peter’s Passage be approved and that this be reviewed in 12 months.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Reason for Decision

The purpose of the Public Space Protection Order would be to enable St Peter’s Passage in Lincoln to be gated. The passage was currently a public right of way and was shown in Appendix A, with the introduction of the Order preventing public access to the passage.

The proposed Public Space Protection Order would be put in place for a maximum period of three years, after which a full review would take place.

The City of Lincoln, like other towns and cities nationally, had seen an increase in on-street antisocial behaviour particularly associated with substance misuse. These issues had manifested in the city centre with St Peter’s Passage being used for crime and antisocial behaviour including the passage being used as a toilet.

The Policy Scrutiny Committee supported the proposal to implement the Public Space Protection Order with two recommendations, as follows:

·         that the Public Space Protection Order be reviewed in 12 months;

·         that the use of CCTV be used on the basis of public safety at the Glory Hole and Much Lane to address any potential disbursement as a result of implementing the Public Space Protection Order at St Peter’s Passage.

Public consultation on the proposed Public Space Protection Order had been undertaken in August 2018 where all members of the of the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership and additional partners such as Lincolnshire Police, Lincoln Business Improvement Group, P3, Framework and Addaction were all invited to contribute and respond. All local ward members were advised of the consultation and the Communications team at the Council had also put information out into the public domain to promote the consultation and attract as many responses as possible. 25 responses had been received, with 15 in favour, seven against and three being indifferent of gating St Peter’s Passage. All comments received were set out in Appendix B to the report.

The Lincoln Business Improvement Group had committed to pay for the costs associated with the introduction of gates at either end of the passageway, so there would be no cost implications for the City Council as a result of agreeing to the Order. In answer to a question regarding access to keys for the locked gates, it was noted that any adjoining businesses to the passageway would be allocated with keys, as well as the City Council, the emergency services and the Lincoln Business Improvement Group.

Members agreed, reluctantly given that this passageway was a public right of way, that in the current circumstances the implementation of the Public Space Protection Order to allow the gating of St Peter’s Passage in Lincoln was the right thing to do.