FAQs
- A Borough wide PSPO which is in effect until January 2024
A Town Centre PSPO which is in effect until July 2024.
Urinate, defecate or spit in public places
Are not prepared to clean up after their dog
Smoke in children’s play areas
Drive on footpaths and verges
What is a PSPO?
A PSPO allows us to act quickly when we see these environmental crimes being committed. Breach of a PSPO is an offence for which an offender can be prosecuted and convicted by the Magistrates Court but the legislation allows us to issue fines (Fixed Penalty Notices) as an alternative to taking the matter to court. Not only do PSPOs make it easier for us to act, but we hope will also make people think twice before acting anti-socially.
PSPOs were introduced by Section 59 (1) of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act (2014) (“the Act”) which allows a council to deal with a particular nuisance or problem behaviours that are detrimental to the local community’s quality of life and to impose either restrictions or requirements in an area or over groups of people. They are designed to ensure the law-abiding majority can use and enjoy public spaces safe from anti-social behaviour.
Harrow has been successfully using PSPOs for anti-social behaviour offences including street drinking and dog control for some years, this consultation is part of the continuation and expansion of these controls.
What PSPOs are in place at the moment?
In Harrow we have two active PSPOs:
PSPOs give us powers to get tough with people who:
Why do we need a new PSPO?
When we look at our enforcement data for the current PSPOs and the types of behaviour being witnessed we believe further controls are warranted. We are seeking the views of residents, businesses and others to create a new PSPO that tackles the most common reports of anti-social behaviour.
Why do you want to stop people feeding the birds?
We are not trying to stop all bird feeding. Controlled bird feeding in your own garden is important for conservation and is an enjoyable activity for many people.
Overfeeding or careless bird feeding in public attracts rats and large numbers of birds and other vermin. This in turn causes damage to property and nuisance to people and can be an annoyance to the whole community.
Does the proposed PSPO ban feeding the ducks/pigeons in all Harrow parks?
No. The proposed ban on feeding of ducks and pigeons only applies to Pinner Memorial Park. This is because we have evidence of the damage caused to property as a result. But we already have similar restrictions in place on feeding birds in the Town Centre which we propose to extend to our housing estates where we have similar issues with damage and rodents.
Will the ducks in Pinner Memorial have enough food if you stop the public feeding them?
In the wild, ducks will find food in their environment and the same is true for ducks who inhabit our rivers and ponds. They are omnivorous creatures, and can survive on various pondweeds and other aquatic plants, insects, molluscs, fish eggs, and small animals. Ducks will beg for treats like bread but they are not good for them and can even be dangerous because some moulds are toxic to birds, they also leave uneaten scraps which can attract rodents and cause pollution. When feeding any birds seek advice through an organisation such as the RSPB https://rspb.org.uk/ to ensure that you are following good practice.
Who is responsible for enforcing the PSPO?
Enforcement of the Order will be by any ‘Authorised officer’ including any police officer, police community support officer, or any other person designated to enforce the Order by Harrow Council.
What enforcement action can be taken and how much are the fines?
Breach of the conditions of a PSPO can result in a fine of up to £1000 on prosecution.
As an alternative to prosecution a fixed penalty notice of £100 can be offered which must be paid within 14 days.
What happens after the consultation?
The feedback from the consultation will be reviewed and a report will be presented to the Council’s Cabinet for approval of the final content of an order. The order will be finalised and introduced within a few weeks of that approval. A summary of the consultation responses will be posted on this page.