From today you will be fined £100 for flouting new rules

The Public Spaces Protection Order came into force in April and yesterday, marked the start of full enforcement.

Saiqa Chaudhari reports.

NEW measures to tackle anti-social behaviour in Bolton town centre are now in full force.

The Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) gives the council additional powers to crack down on inconsiderate behaviour such as on-street drinking and aggressive begging.

Town hall chiefs said the crackdown was needed ­— but stressed that help is available for those in genuine need of support.

The PSPO came into effect in April. Since then, new uniformed town centre enforcement officers have been working alongside other council staff to make people aware of the new rules, offer help and issue warnings if necessary.

Now offenders are being warned that they will be issued with a £100 fine with enforcement officers now exercising the power to issue the penalty notice.

Leader of Bolton Council, Cllr David Greenhalgh, said: "We have a duty of care to the public and we know the level of anti-social behaviour is putting some people off coming into town.

"We want to tackle behaviours which are causing issues for shoppers and businesses.

"Since April, our new officers have offered lots of help and issued hundreds of warnings to more than 70 individuals.

"Fining people is a last resort but everyone should now be fully aware of the new rules, and so now we need a strong deterrent to deal firmly with those causing issues for shoppers and businesses."

A survey of shoppers and Bolton businesses revealed that aggressive begging was one of the main reasons why people might choose to avoid the town centre.

Signs were installed in April warning of the new bylaw and now to coincide with the full powers coming into force additional signboards have gone up around the PSPO zone to make people aware of the new restrictions on begging and giving the phone numbers of relevant support services for those who are worried.

Cllr Greenhalgh added: “There is a huge range of help available from the council and all our partners for those that need it and want to take it.

"It is now time to say enough is enough to those who are threatening or intimidating innocent people and to make our town centre safer for our residents."

Bolton Council’s housing team works closely with Achieve Drug and Alcohol Services, as well as charities and partners in the voluntary sector including Urban Outreach.

Dave Bagley, Chief Executive of Urban Outreach, said: "Over the past 30 years, Urban Outreach has worked with communities who find themselves in a tight spot ­— whether it’s a result of homelessness, poverty, hunger, running away from home, or families just in need of extra support.

"We know from all the work that we do, that begging can often mask other issues like alcoholism or drug dependency.

" But nobody should feel frightened of coming into the town centre or be faced with aggressive behaviour. The PSPO will help to make the town centre feel safer and working together with our partners we will continue to support those with complex needs.£

Darren Knight, Chief Executive of Bolton CVS, added: "At Bolton CVS we always champion the fact that prevention must sit at the heart of everything that’s done in Bolton.

"We have to look at and understand the reasons why people behave in certain ways and ensure that we’re putting in the right support when people need it.

"We welcome that these powers will only be used as a last resort and most importantly, we celebrate the charities, the community organisations and their volunteers that work tirelessly every day to support the most vulnerable in Bolton town centre and across the borough."

Jon Lord, Chief Executive of Bolton at Home, said: "Working together, we can make Bolton a better place for all our residents.

"The PSPO tackles lots of issues, including aggressive begging, to make sure people can enjoy the town centre.

"There is a lot of help available, and we will continue working with the council and all our partners to make sure those that are genuinely homeless get the support they need."

Executive Cabinet Member for Environmental Regulatory Services, Cllr Anne Galloway, added that those who are genuinely vulnerable will continue to be helped.

She said: "The PSPO is not going to be used to target people who are sleeping rough or those individuals in genuine need.

"There are good services in place if people agree to access them, including support to tackle addictions or if they are genuinely homeless.

"Through our partnership with our excellent homelessness charities, like Urban Outreach, we will continue to ensure appropriate support is given to the genuinely vulnerable."

And the news that enforcement has started has been welcomed by business leaders.

News that enforcement has started has been welcomed by business leaders.

Michael White, manager of HSBC UK’s Bolton branch, said: “We want our branch colleagues to feel safe coming into work, our customers to feel comfortable doing their banking in the town, and we want the town to thrive, so people can visit the town centre without fear of being the target of aggressive behaviour.

“We have definitely seen an improvement since the PSPO was introduced, and hope that improves further now it is being enforced.”

A new scheme for people to help the homeless is also being explored by the council in partnership with the voluntary sector and local businesses.

How the public can help

The campaign is looking at ways which people can donate money to help those who are genuinely in need.

Anyone concerned about individuals engaged in begging activities can contact the following services: Achieve Drug and Alcohol Services on 01204 483090, and the Housing Options Service on 01204 335900.