People could be hit with a £75 fine if caught committing anti-social behaviour while drinking in one area on Merseyside.
Council officers are in line to be given new powers with on-the-spot fines across the Sefton coastline. A consultation will be launched by the local authority which will run from the 20th May 2022 to 24th June 2022.
If the order comes into effect it will be active for the next three years from July 2022 to July 2025. It would be the latest in a string of new measures implemented by the council to combat issues affecting the coastline.
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Last year a Public Space Protection Order was brought into effect which imposed a fine of £75 for dog owners who failed to clean up after their pets. A joint report from Green Sefton and Sefton council said: "The Sefton Coast and associated towns and villages are popular destinations for tourists and residents to visit – there are circa 6 million people within an hour’s drive of the coast.
“Although by far most visitors adhere to appropriate behaviour, there are some visitors that act in an inappropriate manner, causing distress and disturbance to local residents and businesses, as well as causing damage to the infrastructure in the area.
“Sefton Council has numerous Byelaws specifically relating to the coastal areas, which already cover the proposed prohibitions. However, enforcement of the Byelaws is laborious and in practice, it is rare for the council to be awarded the full legal costs of the prosecution.
“As such the usage of Public Spaces Protection Orders are favoured by many Local Authorities as there is the opportunity to issue fixed penalty notices at the time of the offence being committed, giving the public an opportunity to discharge the offence by way of a fine rather than receive a criminal conviction, for what can be perceived as a low-level offence.
“The areas affected by a proposed alcohol restriction have been identified by Sefton Anti-Social Behaviour Unit, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, and Merseyside Police as areas being used by people to drink alcohol and use the area to congregate and cause Anti-Social Behaviour and low-level crime. This does have a detrimental effect upon visitors using the area.”
The report adds: “This order will enable authorised officers to request the confiscation of alcohol from those who are causing Anti-Social Behaviour. If they refuse to hand over alcohol, they can be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice.
“This order does not ban alcohol for those using it in a responsible manner.”
