Southampton City Council’s Cabinet will decide on whether to approve new Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) to address street drinking, aggressive begging, and drug and psychoactive substance use in five key localities across the city at its meeting on Tuesday 25 November.

The new PSPOs, if agreed, will be in effect for three years, up to September 2028, following the expiration of previous orders in April 2025. The PSPOs cover Shirley, Portswood, Bitterne, City Centre, and Woolston. Enforcement will be led by police officers, with Southampton City Council authorised to appoint additional officers.

The PSPOs are designed to make Southampton safer for residents, workers, and visitors. Southampton City Council’s Cabinet discussion follows a comprehensive public consultation, which saw 356 responses – 95% of these responses were from city residents. The consultation revealed overwhelming support for the new measures, with 93% backing controls on street drinking, and 97% supporting action on aggressive begging and drug use.

The Safe City Survey highlighted anti-social behaviour (69%), drug use (65%), youth crime (59%), aggressive begging (50%), and alcohol-related crime (50%) as top concerns.

PSPOs are backed by crime data showing that 58% of drug, public order, and anti-social behaviour offences occur within existing PSPO areas. PSPOs can help the council to deliver on the Safe City Strategy 2022–2027, which focuses on:

1. Keeping people safe from harm
2. Preventing and reducing offending
3. Creating safe and stronger communities

This work is delivered through the Safe City Partnership, which is a statutory multi-agency partnership led by Southampton City Council, Hampshire Constabulary, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue, and the NHS. By working together, the Safer City Partnership will help organisations to create a Safer Southampton for everyone.

Councillor Toqeer Kataria, Cabinet Member for Communities and Safer City at Southampton City Council, said: “As a council, we are committed to creating a Safer Southampton. This is one of the key priorities within our Corporate Plan. Our residents told us in our Safe City Survey that anti-social behaviour is a concern, and I hope that my Cabinet colleagues will approve these new PSPOs. We are taking a balanced approach, combining enforcement with support for vulnerable individuals.”

While enforcement is a priority, Southampton City Council emphasises education and support for those affected by substance misuse and homelessness. Fixed penalty notices may be issued, but the focus remains on helping individuals access services and support.

If agreed, new signage will be installed across affected areas, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund Safer Streets Fund. Southampton City Council will continue to work with partners to monitor the impact of the proposed PSPOs and ensure Southampton remains a safe and welcoming city for all.