Chester: More than 130 fines handed out to people caught peeing in public

More than 130 fines have been issued to people for urinating in a public place in Chester since since May 2016.

At the beginning of that month, Cheshire West and Chester Council introduced a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for the city centre and Boughton.

It is designed to tackle consumption of alcohol or psychoactive substances, urinating and defecating in public places – and city dwellers caught breaking the rules can face a fine of up to £100.

Cllr Nicole Meardon, cabinet member for children and young people, told Wednesday’s cabinet meeting that the PSPO has been used to prosecute urinating in public 132 times since it was introduced.

She said: “It is acknowledged that the PSPO may not have eradicated all behaviours associated with psychoactive substances, alcohol and urination and defecation, but those additional powers have been proven to tackle those issues.

“The number of prosecutions for urination continues to be successful. Unfortunately, we’ve had 132 breaches of it since the implementation.

“There have been no prosecutions for the breach of alcohol and there have been seven breaches of the psychoactive substance measures which have been enforced using fixed penalty notices.”

The PSPO can be enforced by police officers and the council’s own enforcement officers.

It was due to expire in May following a three-year period, but cabinet members agreed to renew the order for another three years following positive feedback during consultation.

Cllr Samantha Dixon, Labour member for the Chester City ward and CWAC leader, said: “I met with the inspector for the Chester local policing unit yesterday. We discussed the PSPO and the situation in the city centre.

“It does give us and the police additional powers that they wouldn’t have otherwise so I am pleased that we are going to be renewing it for another three years.”

Some requests were made during the consultation for the PSPO to be extended to cover Handbridge and Curzon Park, but Cllr Meardon suggested there is currently not enough evidence to support that.

By Stephen Topping – Local Democracy Reporter (more here).