Plan to ban outdoor drinking from Seaton Carew seafront takes step forward

Hartlepool Borough Council Neighbourhood Services Committee approved going out to consult on two new public spaces protection orders (PSPOs) to help crackdown on the incidents.

One of the orders to be consulted on will be a ‘Parks PSPO’ which would prohibit riding skateboards, scooters and bicycles where it causes ‘annoyance, nuisance or damage’ in Hartlepool’s parks.

It would also prohibit camping and motorhomes, fishing in certain locations, and unauthorised use of motorised vehicles in the parks.

The other proposed order would prohibit the consumption of alcohol in public, at all times, along Seaton Carew promenade and in identified parks and other public open spaces in Hartlepool.

Seaton ward councillors Leisa Smith and Sue Little called for the order to be brought in earlier this year following numerous complaints from residents when bars opened for takeaway drinks over the summer.

Speaking at Tuesday’s neighborhood services committee, Cllr Smith said they frequently receive phone calls from residents over the issue, along with images of people urinating in streets and gardens.

She said: “Sue and I deal with a number of complaints on a weekly basis in relation to the amount of alcohol that is consumed and the antisocial behaviour associated with it on the promenade and in the parks.

“We’ve moved most of our bars now to takeaway pints and the anti-social behaviour on the seafront has actually doubled. We have people urinating in the streets and parks and people’s gardens.”

Cllr Little added the issues have caused a lot of upset and mental health concerns for residents in the area.

She said: “In the summer when we were allowed to meet in groups of six I was getting phone calls from a lot of residents where they didn’t dare have their grandchildren over because people were exposing themselves to urinate.

“We do need this [PSPO] and hopefully this consultation might bring other areas into consideration as well.”

Council officers added depending on the outcome of the consultation more areas could be covered by the proposed new PSPOs.

However, Cllr Christopher Akers-Belcher said he was against bringing in the new PSPOs, adding the timing of the report is poor and the council is turning into ‘some sort of nanny state’.

He added enforcement officers, who would look to enforce the orders along with police, should be focusing their attention on existing issues.

He said: “At the minute I spend such a lot of time trying to defend the council with regards to resources and we can’t even police the things that we already have in place around litter and dog fouling.

“I think the timing of it is completely wrong, and to actually turn around and to isolate just Seaton promenade where a family couldn’t go down and have a drink, I just think we’re turning into some sort of nanny state where we’re trying to pick and choose where we police.

“I’d rather see a greater focus of resources focused on dealing with what the people in Hartlepool want which is around litter and dog fouling.”

Concerns were also raised by councillors around the ‘Parks PSPO’ and the potential restrictions on children riding bikes, scooters and skateboards in parks.

However council officers stressed the PSPO would only look at those riding bicycles, skateboards and scooters where it causes ‘nuisance or annoyance’, and not necessarily stop the use of them in parks.

PSPOs can be used to prohibit specified activities or require certain things to be done in defined locations in order to stop or prevent anti-social behaviour.

The breach of a PSPO is a criminal offence, featuring a maximum £1,000 fine, but can be dealt with through the issue of a fixed penalty notice.

The exact penalty amount for a fixed penalty notice can be determined by the local authority and can be set at any value up to £100.

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