July crackdown likely on 'loutish' street drinking in Macclesfield

By Belinda Ryan - Local Democracy Reporter

27th Jun 2022 | Local News

One Macclesfield business had reported over 30 street drinking incidents in just four months. (Image - Alexander Greensmith / Macclesfield Nub News)
One Macclesfield business had reported over 30 street drinking incidents in just four months. (Image - Alexander Greensmith / Macclesfield Nub News)

Businesses have been affected, thanks to the street drinking problem. (Image - Alexander Greensmith / Macclesfield Nub News)
New powers could be introduced in Macclesfield town centre next month to crackdown on booze-fuelled anti-social behaviour.

Drunken louts have been urinating and defecating in public during the day and night and intimidating visitors to the town as well as shop staff.

Some town centre retail staff have quit their jobs because of the rowdy, loutish behaviour.

Now Cheshire East's Environment and Communities Committee is being asked to implement a public spaces protection order (PSPO) for the town centre which could see individuals fined £100 if they refuse to hand over alcohol when asked to by police, police community support officers (PCSOs) or the council's community enforcement officers.

Macclesfield: A council consultation on street drinking had previously taken place in February. (Image - Alexander Greensmith / Macclesfield Nub News)

A report due to go before Friday's (July 1) committee meeting states: "For over 24 months now members of the public and businesses alike have been subject to rowdy, loutish behaviour from a minority because of the consumption of alcohol in public and subsequent behaviours that tend to follow this, such as using the area as a public toilet.

"This can be during the day or during the evening when those who have visited the area to enjoy its night-time economy have used walls, flowerbeds, and shop frontages as toilet areas on their commute home."

PSPOs provide additional powers and thresholds to allow authorised officers to deal with anti-social behaviour quickly and efficiently.

Individuals who refuse to comply could find themselves before the courts.

Do you think the police do enough to tackle street drinking in Macclesfield? (Image - Alexander Greensmith / Macclesfield Nub News)

Before a PSPO can be implemented, evidence of the anti-social behaviour must be provided.

In May 2021 a sergeant in Cheshire Constabulary's North Local Policing Unit asked the neighbourhood Services Multi-Agency Action Group (MAAG) to consider a PSPO for Macclesfield town centre and surrounding areas due to an increase in incidents involving adults in alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour. MAAG agreed the initial legal thresholds had been met.

The report to Friday's meeting states: "Incidents reported included individuals entering shops, demanding alcohol is served to them, causing public disorder and damage offences if this was refused.

"Targeting of the Age UK shop causing disturbances, putting off and scaring customers and causing staff members to resign, most of which were voluntary workers and some elderly members of the community.

The two Age UK sites in Macclesfield have been targeted by the alleged offenders. (Image - Alexander Greensmith / Macclesfield Nub News)

"Urinating and defecating in public during the day and evening in shop doorways and planters being either witnessed by staff, public or people visiting or arriving at the town the next day to the results."

At the time of the MAAG nomination, police confirmed the area the PSPO is proposed to cover was responsible for over 40 per cent of the total number of anti-social behaviour incidents for the whole of Macclesfield.

"One business premises alone had reported over 30 incidents between January 2021 and April 2021 outlining alcohol related anti-social behaviour/offences," states the report.

Councillors are being recommended on Friday to approve the proposed PSPO which would run from July 18 2022 for three years.

The meeting to approve the 36-month PSPO will not be held in Macclesfield, instead at Cheshire East HQ in Sandbach 15 miles away. (Image - Belinda Ryan)

Signs would be put up in keys areas of the town if the PSPO is approved.

The report states: "Enhanced joint patrols will take place in order to engage, educate, encourage on the PSPO with a view to moving to enforcement for those who are blatantly ignoring the terms of the PSPO."

However, the meeting to approve the 36-month PSPO will not be held in Macclesfield.

The environment and communities committee meeting takes place on Friday, July 1 at 10.30 at the council's Westfields HQ in Sandbach.

The area which will be covered by the PSPO if it is approved. Please click here for more information.

Macclesfield: Have you signed up for our FREE Friday weekly newsletter? It contains each week's top five Macclesfield news stories, and one EXCLUSIVE article?

1400 of you have signed up already. Simply enter your email address on this link.

Free from pop-up ads, or unwanted surveys, Macclesfield Nub News is a quality online newspaper for our town.

You can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

     

New macclesfield Jobs Section Launched!!
Vacancies updated hourly!!
Click here: macclesfield jobs

Share:

Related Articles

Macclesfield Town Hall, Market Place (Macclesfield Nub News).
Local News

What's on in Macclesfield this weekend: Bethlehem Casuals, Christmas cocktail event and more

Residents living in substandard housing are urged to contact their landlord in writing (LDRS).
Local News

Macclesfield residents living in substandard housing urged to contact landlord in writing

Sign-Up for our FREE Newsletter

We want to provide macclesfield with more and more clickbait-free local news.
To do that, we need a loyal newsletter following.
Help us survive and sign up to our FREE weekly newsletter.

Already subscribed? Thank you. Just press X or click here.
We won't pass your details on to anyone else.
By clicking the Subscribe button you agree to our Privacy Policy.