Decision details

The Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Growth presented a report outlining an application for an Alley Gating Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for the Ginnel between Malton Avenue/Sawley Avenue, Whitefield owing to criminal activity and anti-social behaviour.

Decision:

Cabinet approved the Alley Gating Public Spaces Protection Order annexed to the report.

Reasons for the decision:

The reason for the recommendation regarding the closure of this ginnel is due to several incidents of serious violent crime that have occurred in the ginnel. The most  serious incident being the loss of a life due to an individual being stabbed with a knife. There are multiple reports of Anti-Social behaviour, drug use, and a general fear of using the area from the local residents.

Alternative options considered and rejected:

The alternative options that were considered but rejected were:

·       Civil Injunction - A Civil Injunction is an order that could be considered to deal with a certain individual that is causing harassment, alarm, or distress. This is a highly effective tool in most instances and if applied to this situation it could be useful to remove a prolific offender. However, this would only apply to the individual in question, meaning that other people causing the issues raised within this report would be able to continue and the same work would have to be repeated for each individual.

·       Community Protection Notice (CPN) - A Community Protection Notice was designed and implemented in 2014 to help assist with such issues that cause harassment, alarm, and distress within the community. This option was a viable option at the beginning of this, however, as with the Civil Injunction this is an action that can only be used towards an individual and not to tackle a collective problem.

·       Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC) - An ABC is a low-level intervention that will still be used alongside the PSPO if these recommendations are approved. This is a non-enforceable contract between Bury Council and an individual which is voluntarily agreed. It is a way of an individual working with the Council to avoid any further actions being taken. Due to the nature of the issues, it was felt that this tool was low level, and they are needed more serious intervention re. a PSPO.