A street-drinking ban in Wisbech town centre has been extended for another three years, despite concerns from councillors and residents about whether it is being properly enforced.
Fenland District Council’s cabinet approved the extension of the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) on Monday, September 14, after the existing order was due to expire next week.
The PSPO, first introduced in 2017 and renewed in 2020 and 2023, gives police and council officers powers to seize alcohol being consumed in public areas where drinking has been linked to antisocial behaviour.
The order covers a number of locations across Wisbech, including Tillery Park and the area around St Peter and Paul Church.
A consultation found strong support for keeping the restrictions, with 98 per cent of respondents backing the extension.
However, almost 89 per cent of those surveyed said they continued to see people drinking alcohol in areas covered by the PSPO.
Cllr Steve Tierney, who represents Wisbech South, said residents reported seeing people drinking in the areas covered by the order “all the time”.
“Indeed in the areas covered by PSPOs, there are people drinking every single day – pretty much all day,” he said.
Cllr Tierney said he supported extending the order but questioned its effectiveness if breaches were not dealt with.
“What worries me about this is we tell people we have created a rule, and then nobody enforces it, and it creates an idea that the law can just be ignored,” he said.
He acknowledged the pressures facing police officers, but said residents could see the apparent lack of enforcement.
“The police I know are hugely stretched, they have only got so many people, they will tell you how they just don’t have the time to do this all the time,” he said.
The council’s consultation found that 98 per cent of respondents feared antisocial behaviour would get worse if the PSPO was not renewed.
Residents reported being “scared to visit the town centre because of the drinking”, while others described the issue as a “blight” on the community.
Cambridgeshire Constabulary supported extending the order and said alcohol-related crime had fallen by 41 per cent since the PSPO was introduced.
A force spokesperson said tackling street drinking and other antisocial behaviour in Wisbech town centre remained a priority for the local neighbourhood team.
Police said officers regularly carry out both high-visibility and plain-clothes patrols, engaging with the public and dealing with breaches of the PSPO.
“This work, as well as close collaboration with partner agencies, will continue as a priority in the coming months as the team work to combat an issue we know is important for local people,” the spokesperson said.
The renewed PSPO will continue to give police and council officers powers to intervene where public drinking is linked to antisocial behaviour, despite the concerns raised about enforcement.
