Clampdown on beggars in town centre

Burnley Borough Council has launched a consultation as part of proposals to introduce a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO).

It follows complaints from businesses, shoppers and other visitors about certain behaviour which was putting off people coming into the centre.

Joanne Swift, the council’s head of streetscene, said: “In recent months it has come to the council’s attention via complaints, PACT meetings and representations from local businesses that there may be a need to introduce a PSPO for the town centre to control aspects of anti-social behaviour that are affecting the town centre.

“We are working hard to make Burnley town centre as attractive as possible, to bring in more shoppers and boost businesses and the local economy.

“We’re currently in the middle of a £3m. regeneration of the centre, for example.

“However some behaviour in the town centre isn’t acceptable and is putting people off from coming into town.

“This needs to be tackled and a Public Space Protection Order will give the council and police more powers to do that.

“Burnley has a lovely town centre and we’re not suggesting people shouldn’t come here – we just want to make it even better by tackling some of those issues that traders and shoppers want to see dealt with.”

The survey is available online at www.burnley.gov.uk and canvassers will be out and about in the centre gathering views and comments.

There are also hard copies of the questionnaire at Contact Burnley.

The deadline for comments is June 26th.

The PSPO would cover, among other things, begging in the street, misuse of skateboards and scooters, urinating in a public place and unauthorised charity collections.

Anyone caught breaking the order could face a fine of up to £100.

Burnley Council already has a Designated Public Place Order in place that bans the drinking of alcohol (if it leads to anti-social behaviour) and Dog Control Orders that relate to unruly dogs and the clearing of dog muck.