The Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) covering the Riverside Gardens and East & West Holmes Fields in Ilkley has been allowed to expire Bradford Council has confirmed.
The order, taken out in 2021 and lasting 4 year, prohibited a number of behaviours, including behaving in a way that caused harassment, alarm or distress; drunken behaviour or refusal to stop drinking; being under the influence of controlled drugs; causing an obstruction or jumping from the footbridge; lighting fires or barbecues; littering and camping overnight in tents, caravans or campervans or sleeping outdoors overnight.
A Bradford Council spokesperson said: “After some consideration we feel the conditions have changed to the degree that this level of Order is no longer required.
“The PSPO was taken out in May 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic, when there was a significant rise in the number of people gathering in the area and an increase in reports of anti-social behaviour.
“Levels of anti-social behaviour have decreased over the last three years, as numbers gathering in the area have dropped since the end of the pandemic, which means action can be scaled down.
“In addition, some parts of the order duplicated police powers, blurring the lines of jurisdiction.
“We will continue working with the police to tackle any anti-social behaviour.
“Only a small number of fines were issued as most people responded well when council or Police officers engaged with them and offered advice.”
The council says the annual warm weather plan which spans the official bathing period of May to September, will remain in place. There is also clear signage on the swing bridge warning about the dangers of jumping from it. The decision to allow the PSPO to expire will be reviewed in six months.
Councillors Andrew Loy and David Nunns (Conservative, Ilkley) said in a joint statement: “Ward councillors were not consulted about this decision, so it has come as a shock and is incredibly frustrating.
“For years, we have been arguing that the PSPO was the right approach, but needed more resources to enforce it properly. Instead, the council now appears to have given up completely and this decision seems to be more about cost-cutting than what is best for Ilkley.
“We will continue to make Ilkley’s case for additional resources and powers. We already have a meeting arranged with the council officer in charge of parks, when we will be pressing for sufficient litter-picking and bin-emptying.”
They added that police will now be fully responsible for tackling anti-social behaviour, and urged residents to report any incidents by ringing 101.
They said: "It is vitally important that everything is reported to the police, so that they are aware of the scale of the problem and can allocate resources accordingly.”
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