Council Set To Fine Homeless People £50 For Begging

A council committee in Worthing, Sussex, has recommended a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for approval at a council meeting later this month, says a report in The Independent.

The Tory-run council is also set to bring in PSPOs to curb public drinking and camping in the town centre at the meeting on 19 April, following the recommendation of its own committee.

PSPOs are known as “ASBOs for public places”, because they enable councils to criminalise otherwise legal activity within a specific area.

Speaking at the meeting where the Worthing PSPO was recommended for approval, Council Leader Daniel Humphreys said: “I don’t care, frankly, whether they are part of a street community or they are millionaires with money stashed in Panama who went to Eton.

“I could not give a toss,” he added to laughter. “I do not want them getting drunk, acting in foul ways putting people off in our town, making people like me with young daughters thinking ‘my God, should I be going into Worthing’?

“On behalf of the businesses and the residents of Worthing, when people are getting drunk and acting in an appalling way in our town, we say ‘no’ to it… you are not doing this in our town.”

However, more than 5,000 people have already signed a petition against the order. One of the organisers of the petition told The Independent: “When we presented facts, the fact that more than 5,000 oppose these plans, they were swiped away. It’s disgusting.”

“We are all just a few events away from homelessness. PSPOs will not help homeless people, but give them a criminal record, making it harder to find jobs and rental accommodation.”

In June last year, Hackney Council was forced to scrap a similar PSPO after a public outcry. Pop star Ellie Goulding joined the campaign, saying: “Some councils in England have decided to treat homeless people as though they are criminals.”