Councillors to be briefed about plans to update town’s byelaws to tackle anti-social behaviour
Published Thursday 14th January 10
Northampton councillors from all parties are to hear about plans to update the town’s byelaws to tackle low-level anti-social behaviour.
The existing Good Rule and Government Byelaws were adopted by the council in 1989 and many of them are outdated, enforced under different legislation or no longer relevant to the borough.
Until recently all byelaws were subject to scrutiny by central Government and were enforced through the Magistrates Courts. The Government is now looking to change the process by allowing local authorities to create byelaws that are totally transparent, relevant to them and locally accountable.
Enforcement is also likely to become more practical by allowing councils to issue fixed penalty notices for offences.
In preparation for the change, Northampton Borough Council has been working with other agencies to update the existing byelaws.
Under the new proposals, there will be eight byelaws specifically relating to: skateboarding in some public places; fairground attractions that cause an obstruction to traffic; dangerous games near highways; playing games on highways to the annoyance of local residents; touting; urinating in public places; interference with road warning equipments; and interference with life saving equipment.
Climbing on or hanging off bridges is another byelaw that could be included if there is evidence that this is a problem anywhere in the town.
By adopting the new byelaws it is hoped that police and environment wardens will be better able to take action against those committing these more minor types of nuisance and anti-social behaviour that residents are concerned about.
Debbie MacColl, Northampton Borough Council community safety officer, said: "Byelaws should only be adopted if they are genuinely needed to address an existing problem that causes a nuisance to the public.
"In Northampton there are public safety issues with people skateboarding in heavily used public and pedestrian areas, particularly in parts of the town centre and multi-storey car parks. Whilst we recognise that there is a need for a safe skateboarding facility in the town and the council is working with local groups to achieve this, more must be done to regulate skateboarding in places where it causes a particular danger or nuisance to the public. The proposed byelaw would still allow organisations to stage special skateboarding events such as the mobile skatepark on the Market Square."
A recent environmental audit of the town centre also identified a specific problem with people urinating in town centre alleyways. The alleys Drum Lane, Osborne Jetty, Swan Yard are regularly being used as toilets; not only on a Friday and Saturday night but during the day as well.
Debbie MacColl added: "These are the type of unpleasant problems that the byelaws are designed to deal with. Our aim is to give frontline officers the clear cut means to tackle these more minor types of nuisance that upset people."
Parish councils, the police and county council have already endorsed the proposals as being representative of local issues facing residents and businesses in the borough.
The council's overview and scrutiny committee that deals with community safety, which is made up of councillors from all parties, will be briefed on the plans when it next meets on 25 January.
Their comments will be fed into a report that is due to go to the council's cabinet once the government has finalised its guidance for local authorities.
Until recently all byelaws were subject to scrutiny by central Government and were enforced through the Magistrates Courts. The Government is now looking to change the process by allowing local authorities to create byelaws that are totally transparent, relevant to them and locally accountable.
Enforcement is also likely to become more practical by allowing councils to issue fixed penalty notices for offences.
In preparation for the change, Northampton Borough Council has been working with other agencies to update the existing byelaws.
Under the new proposals, there will be eight byelaws specifically relating to: skateboarding in some public places; fairground attractions that cause an obstruction to traffic; dangerous games near highways; playing games on highways to the annoyance of local residents; touting; urinating in public places; interference with road warning equipments; and interference with life saving equipment.
Climbing on or hanging off bridges is another byelaw that could be included if there is evidence that this is a problem anywhere in the town.
By adopting the new byelaws it is hoped that police and environment wardens will be better able to take action against those committing these more minor types of nuisance and anti-social behaviour that residents are concerned about.
Debbie MacColl, Northampton Borough Council community safety officer, said: "Byelaws should only be adopted if they are genuinely needed to address an existing problem that causes a nuisance to the public.
"In Northampton there are public safety issues with people skateboarding in heavily used public and pedestrian areas, particularly in parts of the town centre and multi-storey car parks. Whilst we recognise that there is a need for a safe skateboarding facility in the town and the council is working with local groups to achieve this, more must be done to regulate skateboarding in places where it causes a particular danger or nuisance to the public. The proposed byelaw would still allow organisations to stage special skateboarding events such as the mobile skatepark on the Market Square."
A recent environmental audit of the town centre also identified a specific problem with people urinating in town centre alleyways. The alleys Drum Lane, Osborne Jetty, Swan Yard are regularly being used as toilets; not only on a Friday and Saturday night but during the day as well.
Debbie MacColl added: "These are the type of unpleasant problems that the byelaws are designed to deal with. Our aim is to give frontline officers the clear cut means to tackle these more minor types of nuisance that upset people."
Parish councils, the police and county council have already endorsed the proposals as being representative of local issues facing residents and businesses in the borough.
The council's overview and scrutiny committee that deals with community safety, which is made up of councillors from all parties, will be briefed on the plans when it next meets on 25 January.
Their comments will be fed into a report that is due to go to the council's cabinet once the government has finalised its guidance for local authorities.
Contact the Council
- Email: enquiries@northampton.gov.uk
- Telephone: 01604 837837
- Use our feedback form or find key contact details