Residents across the Stroud district are being invited to have their say on a set of important powers used to tackle anti-social behaviour in public spaces.
Stroud District Council wants to hear from people before deciding whether to extend six Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs), including a ban on drinking alcohol in certain Stroud and Dursley town centre streets, and orders covering dog fouling, dog control, and the exclusion of dogs from certain areas.
The dog control PSPOs require owners to:
- Pick up dog faeces.
- Put dogs on leads when directed to do so by an authorised officer.
- Keep dogs out of designated exclusion areas, such as children's play areas.
- Keep dogs on leads in designated locations including allotments, cemeteries, car parks, canal towpaths, designated cycle tracks and specified footpaths used to reach schools and colleges. Assistance dogs are exempt from these restrictions.
A Public Spaces Protection Order is used to address particular anti-social behaviours where those behaviours are having a negative impact on the quality of life of people in a public space.
Failure to comply with the terms of an enacted PSPO is a criminal offence and can lead to a Fixed Penalty Notice or prosecution.
PSPOs can remain in place for up to three years and must be reviewed before being extended. The current orders were extended in 2023 and will expire on 18 October 2026. No changes are proposed.
Environment Committee Chair Martin Pearcy said: "Anyone, dog owners and non-dog owners who have an opinion of these issues are encouraged to respond and feed into the consultation.”
Community Services and Licensing Committee Chair Martin Brown added: “We would also like to hear from Dursley and Stroud town centre residents, traders and visitors on the street drinking ban. These are important issues which affect people's everyday lives, so we want you to have a say on these PSPOs which are in place to protect our communities."
The consultation period will end on 2 August 2026. Full details on how to respond can be found at www.stroud.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/about-the-council/have-your-say/consultations/public-space-protection-order-consultation/ and there is a link to the survey here as well www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/ASLL83/
The areas covered by the street drinking PSPOs can be seen here: www.stroud.gov.uk/community-and-living/community-safety-and-community-officers/public-spaces-protection-orders/
For more information, contact Stroud District Council via 01453 766321 or environmental.health@stroud.gov.uk.
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