Ashfield District Council launches consultation on plan to combat anti-social alleyways

Residents are invited to have their say on Ashfield District Council's new public consultation on the potential gating of eight alleyways notorious for attracting anti-social behaviour.

The proposed Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) would restrict public access over eight alleyways and strips of land across the district.

The proposed PSPO would allow gates to be installed blocking access to the eight locations which have been highlighted as anti-social behaviour hotspots.

Under the proposed PSPO, any person found entering the alleyways would be handed a Fixed Penalty Notice fine of £100.

One of the alleyways being consulted on is in Hucknall, at the rear of 34-37 Rockwood Walk. The other seven are in Kirkby and Sutton, details of their exact locations can be found by clicking here.

The public consultation is now live on Ashfield District Council's website until midnight on Thursday 5 January 2023. The consultation can be accessed by clicking here.

This consultation follows other council-led crack downs on crime and anti-social behaviour such as successful Safer Streets initiatives which have seen new CCTV cameras, world-first Refuge camera technology, improved lighting, and an effective gating order caried out in Sutton.

Councillor Helen-Ann Smith, Executive Lead Member for Community Safety and Crime Reduction, said: "We encourage all residents to have their say on this consultation. Potentially gating off these areas of land that are known anti-social behaviour hotspots will improve the life of the residents who live near them.

"Ashfield District Council is committed to tackling and reducing anti-social and criminal behaviour, and our current PSPO has proved that these methods do work. We have been getting tough on crime and anti-social behaviour and gating off these recognised alleyways is just another example of how we are achieving this."