An order that bans street drinking and antisocial behaviour in Croydon town centre has been renewed by the council.

Plans for a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) were officially passed at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Mayor Jason Perry spoke of the need to “stop [the] decline in the town centre”.

He added: “We know that Croydon has suffered in recent years… I am determined to create an environment where residents want to spend their time and businesses want to invest.”

The Strategic Assessment of 2021 stated: “Croydon town centre is the primary hotspot in the borough with 16% of all crime and 18% of all harm in the borough being committed here, which only geographically covers around 2% of the borough. Within this area, 68% of all offences and 61% of harm in the area is street-based.”

It was these findings that focused the order on the town centre.

Under the PSPO the following will be prohibited in Croydon’s town centre: the consumption of alcohol, or the possession of an open container of alcohol; behaviour that causes harassment, alarm or distress to others, and urinating in public spaces. It will not be applied to premises with an authorised licence to sell alcohol, like bars and restaurants. 

The order will give police and community support officers extra powers to help Croydon reach its goal of “clean, safe streets” said Perry.

In a statement, chief superintendent Dave Stringer said: “From a policing perspective, the PSPO in Croydon Town Centre will greatly benefit our officers, especially our town centre team and ward officers by supporting them with additional legislation to target street drinking and anti-social behaviour.”

Those who fail to comply with the PSPO can be fined up to £500 or £1000 if found guilty of breaching the order.

The opposition supported the PSPO, but asked what was being done to deal with wider issues that contribute to antisocial behaviour in the borough.

Councillor Stuart King, leader of the Labour opposition, asked Perry: “Whether you or officers might respond on the way the council and its partners are planning to work together to solve underlying issues that lead to problematic behaviour? There isn’t a quick and easy solution.”

Perry replied: “There are underlying issues. This is a tool that we put in place to help [the] police police the borough. We are currently doing a lot of work around homelessness, putting people in accommodation…and working around mental health.”

These comments come after the possessions of a homeless person, who was sleeping outside the council’s offices, were seized last week. 

Croydon previously implemented a PSPO in the town centre in 2017 which remained in place for three years, but was “left to lapse under the previous administration,” said Perry.

The council carried out a six-week consultation to hear from residents about their thoughts on the proposed PSPO in Croydon Town Centre. Of the 1,309 respondents, 90% agreed with the implementation of the PSPO. 

After two months, there will be a review of the order, where the displacement of antisocial behaviour will be looked at further.

Perry said that Thornton Heath was the next “hotspot” that will be looked at for putting a PSPO in place.