West Kirby Public Spaces Protection Order

Wirral Council is asking for people’s views on a proposed Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) affecting large parts of West Kirby and some parts of Hoylake.

Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) are orders made under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to help Local Authorities and Police deal with Anti-Social Behaviour (‘ASB’) in specified locations. By dealing with a particular nuisance or problem in a specific area which is considered to be having a detrimental effect of the local community, it helps protect the area and the people that live there.

Councils have powers to implement PSPOs and there is currently a PSPO in place covering West Kirby Beach and Cubbins Green, which originally came into force in September 2020, and has since been extended until 3 September 2024. As a result of this order, anti-social behaviour on the beach has decreased significantly.

Having reviewed all the information regarding the existing PSPO which is soon to expire, the Council is proposing this new tailored PSPO to address the particular behaviours being complained of. There are complaints that the people who are committing ASB in this area are covering their faces to hide their identities and the majority of the ASB is carried out by those in large groups.

As a result of these findings, Wirral Council is proposing a new PSPO covering a larger part of West Kirby and part of Hoylake with the aim to reduce the risk of ASB in those areas to keep residents and other members of the public safe.

The map below illustrates the boundary of the proposed PSPO. If you would like to view the position of the boundary in more detail you can access an interactive map with zoom features here.

For information the full detail of the proposed PSPO is included in the Documents section of this page.

In summary the PSPO would seek to prohibit the following activities:

• Any person within any open public space in the restricted area who is in a gathering of four or more persons must leave the restricted area when required to do so by a Police Officer or an authorised officer if they reasonably believe that any person who is part of the gathering is engaging in or is intending to engage in behaviour that is likely to cause alarm, harassment or distress to any other person within the restricted area. The Police Officer or authorised person who does this is required to tell the person that failing without reasonable excuse to comply with the requirement is an offence. The Police Officer or authorised person must show evidence of their authorisation to act if asked to.
• Any person who receives a requirement to leave the restricted area must not return to, enter, or be in the Restricted Area, at any time within 24 hours after being required to leave without reasonable excuse.
• No person shall wear anything in any open public space within the restricted area which covers any part of that person’s face. This does not include face coverings worn for religious reasons or for health reasons relating to an existing medical condition or vulnerability, or otherwise required by law.

If adopted, anyone guilty of breaching the terms of the PSPO is liable to a fine on prosecution not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale (currently £1,000). Alternatively, authorised officers can issue a Fixed Penalty Notice (£100) if appropriate.

This survey is closed