Macclesfield: Police can confiscate alcohol from street drinkers this month
New powers come into force in Macclesfield town centre later this month to crackdown on booze-fuelled anti-social behaviour.
As of July 18, police, PCSOs and authorised council officers will be able to ask people to hand over alcohol if they are drinking in the town centre or have it in their possession and are likely to cause anti-social behaviour.
The new powers, which will be in force for three years as part of a public spaces protection order (PSPO), were authorised by Cheshire East's environment and communities committee on Friday (July 1).
They have been implemented following reports of drunken louts intimidating shop staff, shoppers and visitors to the town, as well as using walls, flowerbeds, and shop frontages as a public toilet.
Laura Woodrow-Hirst, the anti-social behaviour and community enforcement manager at Cheshire East Council, told the committee: "What this order's trying to do at the moment is give powers to police and authorised officers to request that alcohol is handed over to them before, hopefully, behaviour gets to that [ant-social] point."
She added: "In general, this is a very preventative measure that our officers can use to try and take the fuel away."
The committee was told that 93 per cent of the people who took part in the consultation about the implementation of the PSPO were in support of it.
Under the order, individuals who refuse to hand over booze when asked by police, police community support officers (PCSOs) or the council's community enforcement officers could be fined £100.
Failure to pay the fines could see them hauled before the courts.
Cllr Peter Groves (Nantwich South & Stapeley, Con) asked whether any other towns were currently being considered for PSPOs.
He was told just Macclesfield in relation to alcohol.
Cllr Tony Dean (Knutsford, Con) said he knew there had been PSPOs implemented in towns in the past and asked whether they had been successful.
He was told there had been one in Congleton and during the PSPO period there wasn't a single reported incident, 'so they are successful'.
Cllr Joy Bratherton (Crewe East, Lab) asked: "Is there anything built into those orders for people who are not being anti-social because of alcohol but because of drugs?
"Do we have anything in place for anti-social behaviour that is drug related, because one can be as bad as the other – the behaviour of that abuser?"
The officer told her: "It is specifically to deal with anyone that appears to be drinking alcohol, is in possession of alcohol … we're not dealing with people who appear to be drunk or under the influence of drugs.
"This particular order is literally just to have the power to seize that alcohol off that adult if they're in possession of it at the time."
She added it's a criminal matter to be possession of drugs, so that would be a matter for the police.
Macclesfield Central councillor Liz Braithwaite (Lab) said she fully supported the PSPO and moved it be implemented.
The committee approved the order be implemented in the Macclesfield town centre area for three years from July 18 2022.
The area which will be covered by the PSPO can be viewed here.
According to Police.UK stats, the most recent data suggests violence, harassment and shoplifting were the top crimes in Macclesfield Central for May 2022. With 34, 31 and 32 recorded incidents respectively.
See our previous article: July crackdown likely on 'loutish' street drinking in Macclesfield
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