Community issues

Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs)

Gating Orders, Dog Control Orders and Designated Public Place Orders were replaced by Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPO) under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

PSPOs are designed to stop individuals or groups committing anti-social behaviour in a public place. They are intended to deal with a particular nuisance or problem in a specific area that is detrimental to the local community's quality of life.

Current PSPOs

A PSPO is currently in place for Newbury town centre. The current  Order [1MB]  has been varied and extended for a further three years. You can view  The Varied and Extended Order [275KB] , along with background information [300KB]  relating to the Order and a map of the restricted area [123KB] . There is also a factsheet [4MB]  containing useful information.

A PSPO is currently in place for Thatcham town centre. You can view the Order [100KB] along with the background information [624KB] relating to the Order and  a map of the restricted area [69KB] . There is also a factsheet [1MB]  containing useful information.

Community Protection Notice (CPN) Protocol

Community Protection Notices (CPNs) are intended to deal with unreasonable, ongoing problems or nuisances which negatively affect a community's quality of life, by targeting the person responsible. A CPN can direct any individual over the age of 16, business or organisation responsible to do something or stop doing something in order to prevent the problem(s). A CPN could also require the person responsible to take reasonable steps to ensure it does not happen again.

In West Berkshire there is a Community Protection Notice Protocol [547KB]  which details the procedure for the serving of CPNs under Part 4 of The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, by West Berkshire Council and partner agencies who are able to issue CPNs within the West Berkshire Council area.

ASB Case Review (Community Trigger)

Community Triggers came into effect in 2014 under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. They give victims of persistent ASB the opportunity to request a review of the actions taken by the agencies involved, when they feel that the actions taken have not been adequate to resolve the problem.

ASB Case Review (Community Trigger) is not used to:

• report ASB in the first instance
• report general acts of crime, including hate crime
• make a specific complaint about the handling of a case
   

How can I request a review?

To request a review there must have been:

• at least three reports from one person, within a six month period, or 
• five reports from different people, within a six month period, of a problem that is not currently being investigated

You must have reported ASB within one month of the alleged behaviour taking place, and you must make the application for the community trigger review within 6 months of the report of anti social behaviour.

•   ASB Case Review Referral Form [454KB]
•   ASB Case Review Procedure [211KB]

Previous PSPOs

The Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) at Speen Lodge Court has been discharged. You can  view the Speen Lodge Court discharge notice here [13KB] .

Previous reviews

For the period of 2018/19, one application for an ASB case review was received and the community trigger invoked. An ASB case review was carried out which resulted in recommendations being made.

For the period of 2019/20, one application for an ASB case review was received and the community trigger invoked. An ASB case review was carried out and advice was given.

For the period 2020/21, there were two applications for an ASB case review, both of which were invoked. In both instances a number of ASB Case Review meetings were held and action plans/recommendations put in place.

For the period 2021/22, there were two applications for ASB Case Reviews, both of which were invoked. In both instances a number of ASB Case Review meetings were held and action plans/recommendations were put in place.

For the period 2022/23, one application for an ASB case review was received and the community trigger invoked. An ASB case review was carried out which resulted in recommendations being made.

For the period 2023/24, one application for an ASB case review was received but the application was not accepted as an alternative problem-solving method was deemed to be more appropriate.

For the period 2024/25, so far one application for an ASB case review has been received but has not been accepted as the lead agency is addressing the issues.

Parking

If you have issues with parking within your community, we have created a guide to help you report issues effectively [278KB] .