A public spaces protection order (PSPO) addressing antisocial behaviour in Haverfordwest town centre could be abolished after councillors were told it was not deemed "to be fit for purpose in its current form".
During an October meeting, a Pembrokeshire County Council scrutiny committee was consulted on whether the PSPO should continue, with officials recommending its removal. The final decision will rest with full council.
Insufficient evidence for continuation
A report from joint cabinet member for communities, Cllr Aaron Carey, said there was "currently insufficient evidence to demonstrate that the continuation of the existing public spaces protection order remains necessary, proportionate, and justified".
PSPOs address specific antisocial behaviour that damages, or is likely to damage, residents' quality of life within a locality. The report indicated the town-centre PSPO prohibited drinking in public areas, addressed persistent antisocial behaviour associated with groups of young people, and offered an additional mechanism to tackle threatening conduct.
Prior to councillors approving it in mid-2022, the Haverfordwest town-centre initiative had been deliberated for a considerable period, including via a public consultation and council discussions.
Incidents and statistics
Assertions had been made that "gangs of feral children are roaming around town" while members of the public experienced verbal and physical abuse and a "criminal element" distributed drugs in Haverfordwest. Police logged 656 antisocial behaviour incidents throughout Pembrokeshire between last June and this May, with 162 occurring in Haverfordwest.
Of the 162 incidents, slightly more than 47% involved groups, slightly more than 44% involved youths, and slightly more than 14% involved alcohol, while nearly a third concerned young people congregating in groups.
The report stated youth-related antisocial behaviour and groups assembling in public spaces – two principal issues the PSPO was intended to address – remained pertinent. Nevertheless, it stated the comparatively low number of alcohol-related incidents and other statistics "raises questions regarding whether the current scope and restrictions contained within the PSPO remain proportionate and targeted towards the most prevalent forms of antisocial behaviour currently being experienced in Haverfordwest".
Enforcement and recommendation
The report noted PSPO breaches could result in fixed penalty notices, but Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed it no longer issued them and instead pursued breaches through prosecution. There have been no prosecutions for PSPO breaches in the town. For these reasons, council officers stated they "do not consider the current PSPO to be fit for purpose in its current form".
Haverfordwest councillor Anji Tinley said: "This has had its chance to work with nothing to show for it. It was implemented to do a job that is different to what the PSPO was designed to do."
Members voted in favour of a recommendation, with one abstention, to bring the scheme to a close. The final decision will rest with the full council at a later date.
