A new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) has come into force allowing police officers to take action against people who drink alcohol on the streets of Ross-on-Wye.The implementation of the PSPO follows the Ross Gazette's finding last week that the PSPOs, which should have been implemented over a year ago, were still not in place.Complaints about groups of people drinking cans of alcohol in the street have been increasing in recent weeks. As the weather warms up, and there are more visitors in the town, it is increasingly noticeable that there are groups of people congregating at prominent positions in the town, such as outside the Peacocks store in Broad Street and around the Market Place.

Many local residents and traders have contacted the Ross Gazette asking why the police officers or PCSOs do not take action to remove the drinks from people, or at least give them a warning that they can take this action.

Unfortunately, despite a belief that the new PSPO for Ross-on-Wye was finalised last year, the Ross Gazette has discovered that this was not the case.

At the Town Meeting in April, 2018 residents raised the issue of people drinking in the town centre. Inspector James Ashton said that his officers hands ‘had been tied’ but from May 1st they would have the necessary power. The new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) was due to become effective on April 21st, 2018, but it appeared that several areas in Ross which needed to be included on the map designating the areas had not been.

Then at the Town Council meeting on Monday, July 9th, the then Mayor, Councillor Harry Bramer, asked PCSO Lisa Austin for an update.

She explained that they were still waiting for the new map to be agreed but this was thought to be imminent.

As we went to press on Tuesday, July 3rd the new map was available on the Herefordshire Council website, along with the original map, however on July 4th Herefordshire Council informed the Ross Gazette that the PCSO had been varied.This means that if you ignore the PSPO you can face a fixed penalty fine or prosecution.The PSPO for alcohol consumption gives the police and other designated officers additional powers within the designated areas to tackle street drinking where it is having a detrimental effect to those in the locality.See the full story in this week’s edition of the Ross Gazette, or subscribe to our online edition here