A North East council has introduced a new order with an aim to clamp down on ‘aggressive begging’ and anti-social behaviour in the town centre after residents have been left intimidated.

The new Public Space Protection Order will give council and police more power to find individuals for specific and repeated anti-social behaviour problems in a given area.

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council introduced the order on February 23 after hearing how aggressive begging was, by far, the greatest area of concern in the town centre and Norton village.

The order will target aggressive begging, as well as begging in a threatening or intimidating way, following people or begging near a cash machine or bus stop.

Meanwhile it will also target alcohol in specified areas.

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Anyone who ignores the order will be warned by Civic Enforcement Officers or Police Officers before alcohol is seized.

In the case of aggressive begging and use of alcohol, a £100 fixed penalty notice may be issued as last resort.

Councillor Norma Stephenson, the council’s cabinet member for access, communities and community safety said: “While Stockton-on-Tees continues to have the lowest recorded crime and anti-social behaviour rate in the Cleveland Police area, we continue to face challenges in our town centres.

"Aggressive begging in Stockton Town Centre accounts for more than one in four reports made to the Council's Civic Enforcement Team, followed by drink related rowdy and nuisance behaviour. The story is similar in Norton Village, although there are fewer complaints here."

In November and December 2022, the Council carried out a consultation to find out what people thought about introducing a PSPO - 81% of people said aggressive begging affected their decision whether to visit Stockton Town Centre. In Norton 69% of people who responded said they had been affected by aggressive begging.

Councillor Stephenson added: “"Residents told us that these behaviours are having a detrimental impact on their feelings of safety when they are coming into Stockton Town Centre or Norton Village to work, shop, or enjoy a night out.

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"The protection of our residents, businesses and visitors is of absolute importance. That's why the immediate focus of this PSPO will be on drinking in the street, because we know it often goes hand in hand with rowdy and anti-social behaviour and aggressive begging, because it makes people feel threatened.

"But we also fully understand that there can be a whole range of reasons behind why people beg.

"People see beggars and they assume they're rough sleepers, which in our Borough is normally not the case.

"Like most complex problems, it's about finding a fair balance and we can reassure people that we always do everything we possibly can to help the person involved.

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"That includes offering help with any drugs or alcohol issues they may be experiencing and helping with any difficulties claiming benefits or seeking employment.

"But when begging spills over into aggressive behaviour or harassment it can be very frightening for those on the receiving end of it.

"In those cases, we have to step in to protect the public, who have a right to go about their lives free from the fear of harassment, alarm and distress. And if such behaviour continues, it leaves us with no choice but to take formal action as a last resort."