Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) were introduced by the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
They specify an area where activities are taking place that are or could be detrimental to the local community's quality of life, and impose conditions or restrictions on people using that area. Breaching the prohibitions could result in a Fixed Penalty Notice or prosecution at Court.
Current Orders
Parks Public Spaces Protection Order 2021
On 11 August 2021, the City Council introduced new rules to stop people from lighting fires, including barbeques, in Port Meadow, Burgess Field, Wolvercote Common, Rivermead Nature Reserve, Angel and Greyhound Meadow, and South Park.
Port Meadow and Wolvercote Common are both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC); and Burgess Field is a nature reserve.
All these open spaces have been damaged by fires in the past. The fires have burnt the grass and scorched the ground, which can take years to recover. All the parks and open spaces will continue to welcome picnics.
The new rules will not target all Oxford’s parks and open spaces. Instead, they will focus on sites where the City Council has evidence that fires have caused damage in the past.
Separately, the City Council is also introducing new rules to stop people from digging holes to search for old bottles in Port Meadow - a practice that has seen large and damaging holes dug in the protected meadow.
The Order can be downloaded below:
Parks Public Spaces Protection Order 2021
Alcohol Public Spaces Protection Order 2020
Oxford City Council Cabinet approved the new Alcohol Disorder Public Spaces Protection Order 2020 on 11 November 2020. The Order begins on the 28th November and last for three years.
The Order creates an offence in the restricted area for any person to refuse to stop drinking alcohol or hand over any containers (sealed or unsealed) which are believed to contain alcohol, when required to do so by a police officer or authorised officer in order to prevent public nuisance or disorder, unless they have a reasonable excuse.
The Order can be downloaded below:
Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order 2020
Oxford City Council Cabinet approved the new Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order 2020 on 11 November 2020. The Order begins on the 28th November and last for three years. The Orders covers all public areas within the Oxford City Council Local Authority boundary.
The Order requires:
- Owners to put their dog on a lead if required by an Authorised Officer.
- A person not to be in control of more than four dogs at the same time.
- Remove their dog’s faeces.
- Owners to keep their dogs out of children’s play areas.
The Order can be downloaded below:
Orders not approved or expired
Use the links below for more information about Orders not approved or expired.
- Draft Waterways Public Spaces Protection Order
- Foresters Tower
- City Centre
- Alcohol Public Spaces Protection Order 2017-2020
- Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order 2011
- St Mary and St John Public Spaces Protection Orde
Penalty for breaches of Orders
It is an offence for a person, without reasonable excuse, to:
- Do anything that the person is prohibited from doing by a PSPO (other than consume alcohol - see below); or
- Fail to comply with a requirement to which the person is subject under a PSPO.
A person guilty of an offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale, or a fixed penalty notice of £100.
It is not an offence to drink alcohol in a public place in Oxford. However, it is an offence to fail to comply with a request to cease drinking or surrender alcohol within the cities administrative boundary. A person guilty of an offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale, or a fixed penalty notice of £100. If alcohol is confiscated, it can be disposed of by the person who confiscates it.
If the fixed penalty notice is paid within its required timescale no further action will be taken. Failure to pay within this time may result in a prosecution for the breach of the order.
For more information or to report an incident that is a suspected breach of a PSP , you can contact the Anti-Social Behaviour Service at saferoxford@oxford.gov.uk.
