Public behaviour orders in two towns under review

Residents, businesses and visitors are being asked for views on the future of orders used to tackle anti-social behaviour in two Surrey towns.

Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) covering Dorking and Leatherhead town centres, as well as Meadowbank Park in Dorking, are due to expire in October after being in place for several years.

Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) has launched a consultation on whether the orders should be extended or changed, if they are to continue for up to three more years.

The PSPOs in the town centres currently regulate alcohol consumption, while the order covering the park also includes use of intoxicating substances, dog fouling and restrictions on dog access to the playground.

PSPOs give councils and police powers to deal with antisocial behaviour, including issuing fixed penalty notices or pursuing formal prosecutions.

The orders are not automatically extended, the local authority said, describing the opinions of residents, businesses and visitors as "vital".

Councillor Caroline Joseph, MVDC's cabinet member for services and security, said: "It is important we hear from people who wish to tell us of any personal experiences or firsthand accounts of anti-social behaviour over the past three years."

She added the council needed to build "a clear picture of the effectiveness of the existing PSPOs" to make an informed decision about next steps.

The consultation runs until 10 July, with people able to respond online or by completing paper surveys at the council's Pippbrook offices in Dorking.

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