Rhondda Cynon Taf Council will shortly begin a public consultation process on the potential to extend and or amend the Alcohol-related Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) that is currently in place across the County Borough.
The PSPO intends to contribute to our town centres and wider communities being friendly and welcoming places.
In October 2018, the Council introduced the PSPO in a bid to tackle complex problems such as alcohol-related anti-social behaviour. The Council has worked with South Wales Police and other support agencies over the last SIX years to enforce this and crack down on street drinking in RCT.
The PSPO which was introduced for an initial three-year period in 2018, was extended in 2021. This was a direct result of the consultation feedback, the latest data relating to alcohol-related anti-social behaviour in 2021, and the inclusion of a further three areas in the Pontypridd zone.
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The current PSPO dedicates all of Rhondda Cynon Taf as a Controlled Drinking Zone to give Authorised Officers powers to control alcohol-related anti-social behaviour across the County Borough – this means Authorised Officers can therefore request that a person hands over their alcohol and stops drinking if they are causing, or are likely to cause, anti-social behaviour. The maximum penalty for non-compliance is £100.
If someone is found drinking alcohol within the 2 ‘Designated No Alcohol Zones’ in Aberdare and Pontypridd Town Centres, Officers have the powers to take open containers of alcohol from a person. If they refuse to hand over the alcohol, they will receive a Fixed Penalty Notice of £100. Individuals who have been warned and continue to drink within the Town Centres face further enforcement action including a Community Protection Notice banning them from the Town Centre.
Aberdare’s ‘no alcohol zone’ has included the town centre, Sobell site and its playing fields (the Ynys), Aberdare Railway Station and Gadlys Pit Car Park. The zone in Pontypridd has included the town centre, Ynysangharad War Memorial Park, and the railway and bus stations. These zones also apply to the use of intoxicating substances, not just alcohol.
Recent figures show that Pontypridd and Aberdare Town Centres are still seeing high rates of alcohol-related anti-social behaviour even during the length of the current PSPO – suggesting that there is still a need for it to remain in place at this time. It is also important to note that, over the past SIX years, the vast majority of individuals approached by an authorised officer have complied with the request to stop drinking.
The existing PSPO is jointly enforced by the Council and South Wales Police.
Under the conditions of the PSPO the Council must review and consider the order every three years, to ensure that the controls still meet the needs of the public – as such the Council will now once again be seeking residents’ views on how successful they feel these measures have been and whether they should remain in place.
The Consultation will begin on Monday 17th June and last for 6 weeks, ending on Monday 29th July.
Residents wishing to take part in the suvey can do so here or alternative options can be found at www.rctcbc.gov.uk/CurrentConsultations
The response from the public to the PSPO, which has been in place for a total of SIX years has been overwhelmingly positive.
View the Public Spaces Protection order 2021
For more information or to take part in the consultation, visit www.rctcbc.gov.uk/CurrentConsultations
Posted on 21/06/2024