The BBC recently reported that, seven months after Public Space Protection Order ‘anti-begging’ fines were introduced in Southampton, not one has been paid, with “critics saying it’s proof the scheme is a failure,” and a cabinet member saying the scheme needs to be reviewed.
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Public Space Protection Orders, or PSPOs, were introduced in various areas of Southampton, including around Portswood Broadway, following a council consultation exercise in November 2015 and a cabinet decision in March. [Cabinet minutes 15/3/16], and there seemed to be few, if any, voices opposing them within the council.
Their focus was said to be on “improving and protecting the local area for the people of the city and those who visit Southampton”.
But BBC South news recently reported that of 12 fines issued, none have been paid.
Their report features an interview with a man who has been fined £100 for begging. He says he hasn’t got the money to pay it and it isn’t a deterrent.
Cllr Jacqui Rayment, deputy leader of Southampton City Council (Lab) told the BBC: “I don’t want to criminalise people that are in crisis or have difficult issues in their lives . What I do want to do is clean up Southampton.”
She said: “I don’t think it has worked in the way that it was proposed to work in the first place, so we need to review it and we need to look at what else we can do to solve this national problem.”
You can see the BBC’s video report on Facebook here and read their report online here.
Previously - PSPOs: solving problems or 'criminalising poverty'?