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Public Spaces Protection Orders

Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) have been introduced by the Government to help us tackle anti-social behaviour locally, so that public spaces can be enjoyed by everyone.

Town centre Public Spaces Protection Order

We have a town centre PSPO. It is in place to tackle persistent anti-social behaviour which is affecting others. The current PSPO was agreed in March 2022 and will be reviewed in March 2025 (see the decision details page (opens new window)).

Locations

The boundary (PDF) [307KB] for the PSPO covers:

  • the town centre
  • Stoke Park and some neighbouring residential roads
  • The Mount (residential area and green open space).

Behaviours

The following behaviours are not allowed within the PSPO boundary;

Alcohol

  • drinking alcohol or possessing alcohol in an open container in a public space when you have been asked not to by an enforcing officer

Legal highs

  • possessing, taking, selling or supplying psychoactive substances (legal highs) that enforcing officers believe is likely to cause or contribute to anti-social behaviour

Rowdy and inconsiderate behaviour

  • behaving or encouraging others to behave in an anti-social way, which is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to others
  • this includes intentionally shouting, screaming, using foul or abusive language or urinating in public

Enforcement

The town centre PSPO is enforced by

  • Police officers
  • PCSOs 
  • Guildford Borough Council Compliance Officers.

Those breaching the conditions will be told about the PSPO and asked to change their behaviour.

Fines and Community Protection Warnings may be issued to those who ignore warnings and keep breaching the conditions. 

Reporting anti-social behaviour

For advice and support on anti-social behaviour, see our anti-social behaviour pages.

Dog fouling in public places

We also have a Guildford-borough-wide PSPO, which makes it an offence for a person to allow a dog to foul and not clean it up.

On 30 November the Borough wide PSPO was extended for a further 3 years (see the decision details page). 

We are confident that extending the PSPO will help to prevent an increase in dog fouling across the Borough.