A ban on street drinking and approaching prostitutes in High Wycombe could be extended for another three years after it runs out early next year.
Two Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) were put in place in 2017 - banning those in High Wycombe town centre from drinking alcohol and those in Desborough Road from soliciting prostitutes - but they only last for three years.
Under the alcohol PSPO, anyone even holding an open container of booze in the town centre could be punished.
The ban is set to run out in February 2020 - so now Wycombe District Council is looking at extending it.
They want to hear residents' and shoppers' opinions on extending it again.
The two bans were originally put in place amid ongoing concerns about antisocial behaviour in High Wycombe.
Dozens of complaints came from councillors and members of public about “nuisance” behaviour in and around Frogmoor – with drinking and anti-social behaviour blamed for shoppers avoiding the area.
And in September, Cllr Alan Hill said he feared prostitution around Desborough Road was "getting out of control".
But a project was launched at the end of 2018 called the Desborough Road Outreach Project (DROP) to provide safeguarding and health support to sex workers in the area which has apparently seen huge success.
The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 introduced a range of powers designed to address anti-social behaviour, including PSPOs, which are intended to deal with a "particular nuisance or problem in a particular area that is detrimental to the local community’s quality of life", by imposing conditions on the use of that area which apply to everyone who uses it.
To have your say on extending the two PSPOs for another three years, go online to www.wycombe.gov.uk/pages/About-the-council/Have-your-say/Consultations/Consultation-PSPO-extensions.aspx to take part.
The consultation started on Friday, November 8, and will run until Friday, December 20.
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