10/12/2025: Breckland Council to consider Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for Dereham

Breckland Council members are set to consider the introduction of a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for Dereham town centre. It forms part of a wider response to concerns recently raised by the community about anti-social behaviour in the town. 

At their meeting on 15 December, the Council's Cabinet will discuss the proposals, which if implemented would see some behaviours and activities banned from the centre of the town. PSPOs are subject to public consultation to agree which activities should be restricted and the location covered, but typically they can include street drinking, substance use, disruptive vehicles, and other anti-social behaviour. 

PSPOs apply to everybody in a defined area and can be enforced by police officers or authorised council officers. Failing to comply with the restrictions is a criminal offence. This can lead to an on-the-spot fine or prosecution if the fine is not promptly paid or the matter goes to court. 

The proposal follows discussion at a well-attended public meeting held in the town recently, which saw a number of residents raise concerns about issues in the town centre, which many residents believed were linked to people staying at the NR19 building. 

After the Council's Leader and senior officers listened to people's experiences at the meeting, the council has acted swiftly to propose measures which will help address comments raised by local residents and business-owners. 

Cllr Tristan Ashby, Breckland Council's Executive Member for Health and Communities, commented: "At the recent meeting held at the football club, the council heard people's concerns loud and clear. We are committed to ensuring residents, visitors and business owners feel safe and welcome in Dereham and so we have moved quickly to find solutions to address the situation. The proposed PSPO would prohibit unwanted behaviour in the town and give both the council and the Police more power to act." 

If approved on December 15, the Cabinet report will authorise council officers to begin a six-week statutory public consultation to determine which activities should be restricted under the PSPO and define the geographical area. In line with the Council's commitment to engaging with the community to resolve concerns, the consultation will be made available online and in publicly accessible locations across Dereham. 

Following the consultation period, responses will be carefully analysed before a further report is presented to the council's Cabinet to firm up plans for the PSPO and decide whether to formally adopt it. 

The proposed PSPO is in addition to a new multi-agency task force announced by the Council which aims to bring together different agencies, such as the NHS, Police, mental health service providers, and local councils. This is intended to improve communication and collaboration between partners, which will help to better control how sites such as NR19 are used for temporary accommodation services.