The number of fines issued by councils under controversial powers that let them penalise shouting, feeding pigeons and even collecting for charity has increased eightfold in a year.
Campaigners say that some town halls are “criminalising everyday life” by using antisocial behaviour laws to levy thousands of penalties of up to £100 for activities that are not illegal or harmful, but may be seen as distasteful or out of keeping with the area.
Councils in England and Wales used “public space protection orders” to issue at least 8,638 fines in 2017, up from the 1,004 since 2016, a freedom of information request by The Times revealed. The powers were created under the Antisocial Behaviour Act in 2014, allowing authorities to ban any activity deemed “detrimental to the quality of life”.
Some 152 councils have used the powers to ban drinking in public, while 29 have banned people from car racing. Antisocial behaviour is defined as anything that could cause harassment or distress and councils have used the orders to ban swearing and shouting, drawing on pavements with chalk, feeding birds, carrying a golf bag in a park and collecting for charity. Loitering, wearing hoods, busking, keeping chickens, riding hover boards and playing ball games have also been banned.
Councils can issue orders after public consultation and then issue fines. In most cases, they act only if behaviour is shown to have caused distress. Last year, councils implemented 960 orders, up from 519 in 2016.
Some have attracted controversy, such as banning protests outside an abortion clinic in Ealing. A proposal in Stoke-on-Trent to bar rough sleepers from using tents was dropped after criticism. However, at least 11 councils have banned the homeless from spending the night in tents, cars or the open air, while 34 have banned begging.
Almost 14,000 people have faced fines worth around £1.4 million to councils. Some authorities could not provide figures because fines are issued by police, and 17 failed to supply details.
“Councils are criminalising everyday life by banning things that aren’t antisocial or even unpleasant,” said a spokeswoman for the Manifesto Club, which highlights excessive regulation. “There is no distinction between what is harmful and what is not.”
Simon Blackburn of the Local Government Association said councils were acting to stop problems such as public drinking, racing in cars and aggressive begging.
He said: “Councils are determined to protect their communities from behaviour that ruins their quality of life, harms business or means people are scared to visit public places.”
has increased eightfold in a year.
Campaigners say that some town halls are “criminalising everyday life” by using antisocial behaviour laws to levy thousands of penalties of up to £100 for activities that are not illegal or harmful, but may be seen as distasteful or out of keeping with the area.
Councils in England and Wales used “public space protection orders” to issue at least 8,638 fines in 2017, up from the 1,004 since 2016, a freedom of information request by The Times revealed. The powers were created under the Antisocial Behaviour Act in 2014, allowing authorities to ban any activity deemed “detrimental to the quality of life”.
Some 152 councils have used the powers to ban drinking in public, while 29 have banned people from car racing. Antisocial behaviour is defined as anything that could cause harassment or distress and councils have used the orders to ban swearing and shouting, drawing on pavements with chalk, feeding birds, carrying a golf bag in a park and collecting for charity. Loitering, wearing hoods, busking, keeping chickens, riding hover boards and playing ball games have also been banned.
Councils can issue orders after public consultation and then issue fines. In most cases, they act only if behaviour is shown to have caused distress. Last year, councils implemented 960 orders, up from 519 in 2016.
Some have attracted controversy, such as banning protests outside an abortion clinic in Ealing. A proposal in Stoke-on-Trent to bar rough sleepers from using tents was dropped after criticism. However, at least 11 councils have banned the homeless from spending the night in tents, cars or the open air, while 34 have banned begging.
Almost 14,000 people have faced fines worth around £1.4 million to councils. Some authorities could not provide figures because fines are issued by police, and 17 failed to supply details.
“Councils are criminalising everyday life by banning things that aren’t antisocial or even unpleasant,” said a spokeswoman for the Manifesto Club, which highlights excessive regulation. “There is no distinction between what is harmful and what is not.”
Simon Blackburn of the Local Government Association said councils were acting to stop problems such as public drinking, racing in cars and aggressive begging.
He said: “Councils are determined to protect their communities from behaviour that ruins their quality of life, harms business or means people are scared to visit public places.”
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