A LEGAL order to clamp down on drinking and anti-social behaviour could be enforced in Whitehaven town centre.

Cumberland Council is currently holding a consultation into a new Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) which would challenge anti-social behaviour in public spaces and car parks.

It would tackle issues such as drinking alcohol in public, riding scooters and other motor vehicles on footpaths, congregating in car parks and keeping dogs on leads.

Following Local Government Reorganisation, the three separate PSPOs for the former district councils are expiring and it is now proposed to bring forward a new order for the Cumberland authority.

A number of public areas have been identified in Whitehaven - Bridge Street Retail Park, Preston Street Retail Park and the town centre. Cleator Moor and Egremont town centres are also being targeted.

‘Dog on lead’ areas are proposed in a number of cemeteries, churchyards, nature reserves, parks and open spaces, along with ‘dog exclusion’ areas in closed play areas.

Gerard Richardson MBE, who owns Richardson’s of Whitehaven, has welcomed the proposals after previously speaking out about anti-social behaviour in the town centre.

He said: “I’m very happy that the new orders are going to be in place for the summer because the town just can’t afford another year of being blighted by a small number of selfish people.

“The police have their work cut out more than ever these days but an awful lot of their time is spent on a small number of people who take no part in society and contribute little in return.

“To back up the new orders, we could do with more robust sentencing and more investment in probation services because law and order seems to be a slogan rather than a reality lately.

“That said, I totally applaud Cumbria Police for their responses to town centre troubles in recent years and these new orders are a valuable tool in their armoury.”

Cumberland’s executive member for sustainable, resilient and connected places, councillor Denise Rollo, said: “We would like to thank all our partners, in particular the police, for their invaluable support of, and contributions to, the revised Public Space Protection Order.

“Through collaborative efforts we have examined all areas of concern, striking what we believe is the right balance. This is crucial in safeguarding our Cumberland community, ensuring its safety, and upholding the high standards of the council's environment and green spaces so that everyone can enjoy living, working and visiting the area.

“I would like to encourage all residents to complete the survey, which only takes five minutes to do, as your input is instrumental in shaping the future of the Public Space Protection Order."

Chief Superintendent Mick Bird, the force’s Neighbourhood Policing lead, said: “Anti-social behaviour remains a priority for Cumbria Police, and we continue to be proactive in our efforts to disrupt this behaviour all year round.

“As well as responding to and investigating ASB, a great deal of work is carried out by our local policing teams to prevent incidents occurring. 

“To support and build upon this work, we have been increasing the number of Community Beat Officers to areas of Cumbria, which sees a dedicated officer deployed to the area.  

“Those officers are focused on engaging our communities to understand and tackling local issues, which we know has been successful in reducing ASB incidents in areas such as Maryport in recent months.”

To view the proposed PSPO, click here and to complete the survey, click here.   

Council officers will also be on hand, to help answer any questions, at Whitehaven Library on Thursday, April 11, from 2-3pm.