Hucknall crackdown on dog fouling, littering and drinking on the street boosted by extension to council powers

Ashfield District Council has renewed its public spaces protection order (PSPO) across the entire district.

The PSPO is aimed at clamping down on people causing a public ‘nuisance’.

The current PSPO that covers eight areas across Ashfield, expires on September 30.

The PSPO prohibits behaviours such as street drinking and dog fouling and allows community protection officers to issue fixed penalty notices to anyone who breaches the order.

The authority’s cabinet approved the three-year extension on September 20, following a six-week public consultation.

During the consultation, residents overwhelmingly backed powers to fine people who don’t pick up after their dogs, who do not carry poo-bags for their animal’s waste, and viewed the authority should have the right to ask an owner to put their dog on a lead.

Respondents also backed powers preventing dogs entering children’s enclosed play areas and sports areas such as tennis courts (this does not exclude dogs, on leads, entering public parks), the confiscation of alcohol and fines for street drinkers, fines for public urination and the forced removal of people causing a public nuisance or annoyance.

Coun Helen-Ann Smith (Ash Ind), portfolio holder for community safety and crime reduction, said: “The PSPO has supported our ‘safe and strong’ priorities and it is fantastic to see how much support the proposed PSPO has received.

“It remains key for the council and Nottinghamshire Police, in providing an effective response to tackling anti-social behaviour and environmental crime across the district.”

The PSPO extension also includes a variation to the order, granting the council more powers to clamp down on ‘car cruisers’ near junction 27 of the M1 at Hucknall.

The council says its enforcement officers have issued more than 1,500 fixed penalty notices for littering and dog fouling, and a further 79 for fly-tipping, since April 2021.

The PSPO must be extended after three years to prevent these powers from expiring and becoming invalid.