Controls on drinking and taking intoxicating substances in public extended

Anthony Lewis, local democracy reporter

Controls on drinking and taking intoxicating substances in public will continue for another three years in a bid to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Senior Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) councillors approved the extension of the the public space protection order (PSPO) relating to intoxicating substances for Rhondda Cynon Taf at a meeting on Monday (23 September).

It includes two “exclusion zones” to control intoxicating substance use, including alcohol, in public places within Aberdare and Pontypridd town centres.

The current PSPO has been in place since October 1, 2021, and will expire on October 1, 2024.

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Fixed penalty notice

A fixed penalty notice of £100 can be issued by authorised officers if conditions are breached.

The conditions of the PSPO include a ban on anyone in a public place consuming alcohol or having an alcohol container and without reasonable excuse continues drinking or fails to surrender intoxicating alcohol when asked to stop by an authorised officer unless an exemption applies.

Exemptions include:

A premises (other than council-operated licensed premises) authorised by a premises license to be used for the supply of alcohol

A premises authorised by a club premises certificate to be used by the club for
the supply of alcohol

A place within the curtilage of these premises

A premises which under the Licensing Act may at the relevant time be used for the supply of alcohol or could have been so used within the 30 minutes before that time

A place where facilities or activities relating to the sale or consumption of alcohol are at the relevant time permitted under the Highways Act

Council-operated licensed premises when the premises are being used for the supply of alcohol or within 30 minutes after which the premises have been used for the supply of alcohol

It also includes a ban on anyone consuming, ingesting, inhaling, injecting, smoking or other uses of intoxicating substances in a public place unless an exemption applies.

People within the intoxicating substance exclusion zones who breach this ban will have to surrender all intoxicating substances in their possession.

Exemptions apply in cases where the substances are used for a valid and demonstrable medicinal use, are given to an animal as a medicinal remedy, are cigarettes, vaporisers, or are foodstuffs regulated by food, health, and safety legislation.