Prostitution, peeing in the street and ‘unsavoury behaviour’ - why a PSPO zone is coming to Rushden High Street

A new protection order in Rushden town centre is set to introduced next month to crack down on street drinking, rowdy behaviour and public urination.

North Northants Council approved the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for Rushden on January 18 to tackle anti-social behaviour.

In a shock admission, leader of North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) Cllr Jason Smithers said there were also problems in the High Street with open prostitution.

He said visitors to the town centre not only have to witness street drinking but alleyways being used for ‘unsavoury’ activities.

Cllr Smithers said: “I hope that it begins to clear up the High Street and remove some of the anti-social behaviour that we’ve witnessed for a long period of time now.

“There’s a lot of anti-social behaviour been going on such as peeing in the street, alcohol drinking in the street and also some more unsavoury stuff which needs to be dealt with robustly.

“There’s prostitution going on in open view of everyone in this area which is not acceptable in a family area, people who want to come here and enjoy a meal and enjoy a drink in a family pub like Wetherspoon and they don’t want to see that behaviour.”

Cllr Smithers said the acts were taking place in alleyways up and down the High Street.

And he added: “My intention is that we alley gate some of those to stop people going up there to participate in this unsavoury type of behaviour.”

Following the opening of Rushden Lakes, although a ‘bonus for the area’, Cllr Smithers believes a bit of a vacuum in the traditional shopping area leaving many shops boarded up and vacant but an ‘influx’ of new types of business had led to some issues.

"Many of them have come in from other areas and started businesses here in Rushden High Street. I think we to be seriously looking at the efforts of those businesses in how they can help stop the anti-social behaviour and for us to work alongside them.”

Residents are being urged to call 111 if they see anti-social behaviour so police can take ‘robust’ action.

Authorities say the fixed penalty notices under the PSPO scheme are a ‘last resort’ with warnings being issued by NNC’s community protection officer – a council version of a PCSO –before tickets are handed out.

The order could see offenders – but only those over the age of 18 – ticketed for:

- Consumption of alcohol on street

- Misuse of motorised or powered vehicles

- Using the public spaces as toilet, urinating or defecating other than in a facility specifically designed and intended for such use

- Begging on the street

- Rowdy and inconsiderate behaviour

Anyone issued with a fixed penalty notice will need to pay £100 for any breach but this is reduced to £80 if paid within 10 days.

Northamptonshire’s police, fire and crime commissioner Stephen Mold said: “Sadly it’s needed. Hopefully as a consequence of enforcement, it (the PSPO) becomes unnecessary and people mend their ways and then all our resources can be better spent than getting people to behave.

“This is a lovely street, we want to make it so families can come and feel comfortable without worrying about some drunks urinating in the street. Let’s regain our town centres and make them vibrant again."

Crime statistics for the area will be scrutinised to analyse the effects of the scheme but its success will not just be down to raw data but engagement and education, says Mike Greenway (NNC’s strategic lead on community safety).

He said: “If we can get someone to correct their behaviour, that early help and intervention – the preventative bit first – to try and stop them from doing that behaviour. We won’t tolerate that behaviour. We will act to make an example of them. We are going to take a tough stance. The people who won’t change, that's when they get the ticket.”

Currently the PSPO will be enforced by NNC’s community protection officer, Will Bolter who also patrols other PSPO areas across north Northamptonshire.

He does not have the power to arrest offenders but will be working closely with colleagues from Northamptonshire Police.

He said: “At the moment I might hand out one or two fixed penalty notices a month. If they are drinking I ask them to hand over the can and if they refuse I give them a fixed penalty notice. A lot of the time I’m dealing with persistent offenders. We do try to support education for these people. It’s not just slapping fines – we help them receive treatment.”

It is hoped funding will provide an extra ‘five or six’ more community safety officers for the area.

Mr Mold said: “We secured £1m a year for two years and another £1m for extra patrols and overtime to increase the policing presence. We have doubled the number of neighbourhood officers and we will be expanding that more.”

Cllr Smithers added: “I want to see this come in ASAP. What’s clear about Rushden at the moment is that we want to clean up this town and I’m not going to stop until we clean it up until we’ve got people feeling safe.”