Issue - meetings

Purpose of Report

To advise on the process and consideration given to date, to review an existing Public Space Protection Order allowing for the gating of St Peter’s Passage in the City Centre area of Lincoln.  To seek approval from the Executive on proposals regarding the review of the existing Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), which prevents access to this passageway.

Decision

(1)         That the comments from the Policy Scrutiny Committee be noted.

(2)         That the Public Space Protection Order to remit the gating of St Peter’s Passage be renewed for a further period of three years.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Reasons for the Decision

In 2018, the City Council exercised powers under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, and applied a Public Space Protection Order to St Peter’s Passage for a period of three years.  This was because St Peter’s Passage had attracted anti-social behaviour and criminal activity.  The gating of St Peter's Passage had removed the crime and anti-social behaviour, as well as removing the public health risk posed to the public, street cleaning employees and partner agencies, as the Passage was often in an unsanitary condition.  It was not possible to rely on natural surveillance, as the passage was not overlooked. 

A consultation exercise had been undertaken between 2 and 30 August 2021 and nine responses had been received to the consultation and all were in support of the continued gating of St Peter’s Passage.  Furthermore, the proposal to continue with the gating of St Peter’s Passage gating had been supported by the Policy Scrutiny Committee on 5 October 2021 for a further three years. 

There was no evidence to suggest that the antisocial behaviour experienced at St Peter’s Passage had been displaced to other areas of the City.  There had been reports of similar antisocial behaviour reported at St Peter in the arches, however from the CCTV images this had not been from the same cohort that once used St Peter’s Passage and was attributed to the night-time economy.