'Begging ban' to be extended in Coventry
It also includes other anti-social behaviours and is likely to be extended for another three years.
Last updated 8th Jun 2023
Street trading without permission and busking against the council’s code of conduct are other activities that are currently forbidden under a ‘public space protection order’ (PSPO.)
The behaviours are banned everywhere in Coventry’s ring-road and a small part outside it by the station.
Anyone doing the forbidden activities could be given a ‘breach notice’ by police or council enforcement officers and potentially fined up to £100.
The powers are mostly used to crack down on begging. From 2017-20 over 1000 breach notices were issued against beggars, leading to 59 fixed penalty notices and 17 prosecutions.
In comparison, just 25 breach notices were issued against buskers and 10 against street traders in this period.
This PSPO is set to expire in mid-2023 and Coventry councillors in the Cabinet will decide next week whether or not to extend it.
The new PSPO has largely the same wording but would cover cyclists behaving inconsiderately, as well as skateboarders, after complaints were raised about e-bikes.
Nicholas Mansell, the police officer in charge of anti-social behaviour in the city, said PSPOs are especially important in tackling begging.
Commenting on council plans to renew the order, he wrote: “The City Centre PSPO that is due for renewal has a very important element for police, and this is in relation to begging."
The orders are also used by police to address inconsiderate or dangerous cycling and skateboarding in the city centre, he said.
6 things you won't be able to do if the order goes ahead:
- Begging
- Peddling/Street Trading
- Distribution of Publicity materials
- Charity/Commercial Subscription Collectors
- Buskers and Street Performers
- Skateboarding/Cycling