Southampton City Council are proposing to introduce so called Public Space Protection Orders across huge swathes of our city. These draconian orders massively limit the ability of law abiding citizens to execute their human rights of free assembly.
The powers granted allow on the spot fines and ultimately criminal conviction for the offence of "loitering" with fines of £100 or £1000 via the courts and a criminal conviction.
Homelessness is not a crime and the related issues of alcoholism and drug use are medical not criminal issues best dealt with through outreach. Preventing access to these vulnerable people by "moving on" legislation such as these PSPO is morally wrong and practically counter-productive.
The proposed areas to be covered are referenced in the link below. The powers to be granted cover the drinking of alchohol and any form of on-street requests for money. They also cover "loitering" with the intent to drink alchohol and "loitering" with the intent to request money from the public.
https://www.southampton.gov.uk/council-democracy/have-your-say/pspo.aspx
