West Suffolk Council Public Space Protection Order, Cumulative Impact Assessment and Dog Exclusion Zone Consultation 2023

Audience: Public and stakeholders

This consultation is now closed. It was open from 9 June 2023 to 28 July 2023.

What are Public Space Protection Orders?

Public Space Protection Orders are a tool providing councils and police additional powers to tackle issues of anti-social behaviour in a local community.

Across West Suffolk, PSPOs are in place in specific locations to help tackle street drinking and begging, prevent noise and disturbance from antisocial use of motor vehicles, and to help tackle the issue of irresponsible dog walkers not bagging and binning their dog’s faeces.

The orders give the council or police additional powers to tackle any incidents through action such as dispersal, fines and the removal of alcohol from street drinkers.

What are Cumulative Impact Assessment areas?

Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) areas are a licensing tool which encourages applicants who are applying for a new premises license or longer licensing hours in a designated area, to address how they will ensure it does not lead to increased issues of anti-social behaviour, crime and impact on public health.  

CIAs do not prevent a licence from being granted. CIAs are not an enforcement tool to tackle anti-social behaviour. Other measures such as police powers and existing licensing laws offer greater powers to address these issues.

What are we consulting on?

This survey is intended to gather views from local stakeholders so that West Suffolk can make an informed decision on the renewal of PSPOs including dog exclusion zones. It will also be used to gather evidence to see whether the CIAs can and should be continued.

New regulations that have now come into force under Section 141 of the Policing and Crime Act, mean that any further renewal of the CIAs in Bury St Edmunds and Newmarket, must be justified by evidence of its effectiveness. 

As a result, we are consulting to see if there is the evidence to support the renewal of the CIA for Bury St Edmunds and for Newmarket. Both CIAs must be reviewed by the end of 2023 and without strong evidence to renew, they will expire.

PSPOs meanwhile run for a set period after which they have to be reviewed and we are consulting the public and stakeholders for their opinions on this. This is different from our consultation on CIAs, where due to the change in the law, we are seeking evidence rather than opinion.

If you find that once you finish the survey, you would like to comment on a different section, please retake the survey.