Status: Past

The Council consulted on whether to continue with the public space protection order and if other anti-social behaviour needs to be included. This consultation closed on 19 October 2021

The Rother district’s public space protection order runs out in November 2021. Public space protection orders apply for three years.

This is an opportunity to review the order, check if it is still needed, and make any changes.

A PSPO is a tool that helps Sussex Police and designated Rother District Council staff to issue on the spot fixed penalty notices of £100 for anti-social behaviour that is listed in the order. The specific offence must be listed in the order. 

All the behaviours are already against the law but would require a long process of gathering evidence and taking people to court. Those accused of an offence can decide to go to court instead. However, the risk is that the court fines them up to £1,000 and the case costs if they don’t win.

The current public space protection order covers:

• Consumption of alcohol in Bexhill town centre, other than in the curtilage of a licenses premises. The officer can order the drinking to stop and can seize any alcohol.
• Aggressive begging in Bexhill and Rye. The officer should first inform that it is an offence. 
• Rough sleeping (all of Rother). The officer must give a warning, advice and signposting to support services in a first instance.

New Options

We could include other options in the order if we have evidence that they are a problem in Rother. Some examples we are considering are:

• Taking off into flight (with wings, canopies with or without a motor) and landing from flight in a manner that causes or likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person.
• The flying or preparation for flying of drones in a manner that causes or likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person.
• Swearing or shouting in a manner that causes or likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person.
• Producing or allowing the production of amplified sound on the beach, promenade or Town centre in a manner that causes or likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person.
• Cooking or having fires on the beach or other public place in a manner that causes or likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person.
• In addition, we are specifically considering the addition of dangerous cycling, skating and skateboarding on Bexhill promenade (see more below).

Download a copy of the current order here – THE PUBLIC SPACES PROTECTION ORDER (NO. 2)

To read the report to Cabinet: Agenda for Cabinet on Monday 6th September 2021, 6.30 pm – Rother District Council

Dangerous Cycling and Skating on Bexhill Promenade

In this review, the Council particularly seeks views on including controls on cycling and other transport methods on the Bexhill promenade. The proposal is that the order would apply to wanton or dangerous cycling, e-scooting, hoverboarding, scooting, skating or skateboarding. Adding dangerous cycling and skating to the order would mean the police and designated officers could give out a £100 fixed penalty notice.

How to Take Part in this Consultation

This consultation closed on Tuesday 19th October 2021