Begging not targeted in Wrexham's new anti-social crackdown

Begging will not be targeted in a new crackdown on anti-social behaviour in Wrexham, council bosses say.

A public survey showed support for stronger action after existing public space protection orders (PSPOs) lapsed.

PSPOs gave council staff and police the power to fine people £100 for drinking alcohol, taking drugs, rough sleeping and littering.

However, a report said local people felt that those begging on the streets should be offered help, not punishment.

Wrexham council said anti-social behaviour in the town had dropped by half since 2015, partly thanks to a special taskforce set up to address the use of the psychoactive drug spice.

But the local authority said it had received almost 100 complaints from the public about issues such as discarded needles and homeless camps in the past 12 months.

Councillor Hugh Jones, responsible for public protection, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service a fresh deterrent was needed.

"If you take the PSPO away we don't have an effective means of supporting the visible vulnerable while tackling anti-social behaviour in the town centre," he said.

He said his report to next week's cabinet meeting notes some public concern when it comes to begging.

"The most common theme within these responses was that people felt support should be targeted at individuals who are begging, rather than enforcement," Mr Jones said in his report.

"There is also a concern that by placing a blanket ban in one area, this displaces issues to other areas."

Figures released last year also showed that fewer than 5% of the 183 fines handed out under the original PSPOs in Wrexham were successfully collected.

On this matter, Mr Jones said: "The appropriate processes have to be gone through and there's nothing additional we can do."