Police officers have vowed to make Durham City centre a safer place after new measures to crackdown on anti-social behaviour were approved. 

A new Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) will be introduced to tackle behaviours including begging, urinating in the street and the use of intoxicating substances.

Anyone breaching the order could receive a £100 fine. 

Cabinet members approved the latest order at a meeting on Wednesday. The introduction of the PSPO was also welcomed by Durham Constabulary.

Inspector Dave Clarke said: “Today’s cabinet decision is a welcome move which will make a significant difference in helping us make the city centre a safer place for residents and visitors.

“City centre residents and businesses have repeatedly told us they want more done to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour, such as nuisance begging and substance misuse, and the council’s consultation process found an overwhelming majority in favour of introducing a Public Space Protection Order.

“We know that a relatively small group of people are having a disproportionate impact on the wider community and are responsible for a high proportion of the incidents we are called to in the city centre.

“These are issues which will not be resolved overnight and we will take time to engage with those groups effected, explain the changes and encourage them to co-operate, before we move to enforcement, but these additional powers are a very useful tool which will reinforce the good multi-agency work already being done to tackle intimidating and criminal behaviour.”

More than 400 residents and businesses responded to a questionnaire on the PSPO, with 83 per cent of people either strongly supporting or supporting plans for a PSPO to be introduced to control begging. 

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Almost 90 per cent backed a PSPO to control urinating and the use of intoxicating substances.

In 2023, dozens of local businesses and market traders backed a call to introduce a city centre order to ban nuisance begging and anti-social behaviour. Up to 80 Market Hall and outdoor traders in Durham city centre urged the local authority to enforce an order due to the “direct and adverse effect” incidents are having on trade in the city. 

A letter signed by the traders on behalf of Durham Markets Company said nuisance begging in the Market Place is disruptive to trade as it discourages the buying public from entering nearby premises. They claim open-air drinking, fuelled by drugs, is causing people to shop elsewhere.