A public space protection order preventing people from spitting in Hemel Hempstead town centre is set to be extended.
Dacorum Borough Council’s strategic planning and environment committee meets on Tuesday (3 June) to consider extending the ban for a further three years.
Under the terms of the order, people cannot spit, urinate or defecate in the town centre, and also cannot cycle, skateboard or use an electric scooter. The order came into force in 2019 but is set to expire in July.
A public consultation found that 89 per cent of respondents wanted to retain the ban on spitting, while 65 per cent wanted to keep the ban on cycling and skateboarding. Twenty-five per cent said they were against the ban on cycling.
Forty-one per cent believed the public space protection order had had a “positive impact” on the town centre.
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Council officers said: “Renewal should take place as planned to ensure existing enforcement powers are maintained.
“A small change to allow the approach of the PSPO area by cycling can be considered as part of the renewal process with a simple change of the PSPO area map.
“This can simplify the approach in the town centre by bike and can eliminate confusion about the prohibition.”
There is expected to be a slight change to the area where cycling is banned, to ensure cyclists can reach the racks near Primark without having to get off their bicycle.
Councillors will also consider whether to extend a public space protection order on dog fouling at Tuesday’s meeting, with an existing ban covering all of Dacorum set to be extended to include National Trust land at the Ashridge Estate.
A report prepared for councillors said: “The National Trust Ashridge Estate have been in discussion with Dacorum Borough Council and have expressed an interest in extending the fouling element of the PSPO to incorporate their land at Ashridge.
“This is due to damage from dog fouling to the Chilterns Beechwood Special Area of Conservation.
“This is part of the mitigation strategy to protect this area from further damage.”
Final decisions on whether to extend the two public space protection orders will be reached at Tuesday’s meeting.
ENDS
1 Meeting agenda: https://democracy.dacorum.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=177&MId=4093
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