Ban on Newport begging moves a step closer

A ban on begging and rough sleeping in Newport city centre has moved a step closer after a council scrutiny committee backed the idea.

Newport council is considering the plan ahead of a new shopping centre opening.

Councillor Matthew Evans said the committee also backed a ban on drinking alcohol in public but decided that leafleting should not be stopped.

The final decision now lies with the cabinet member for regulatory functions, Councillor Bob Poole.

Human rights organisation Liberty previously said a ban on begging and rough sleeping would "criminalise the most vulnerable in the city" and that the proposals "make a mockery of Newport's Chartist legacy".

However, Mr Evans said he and the other committee members backed the recommendation for the ban after 90% of people who responded to a public consultation were in favour.

"We want to make sure the message is sent out that the majority of people don't want to be approached by beggars or to see people rough sleeping," he said.

"This will make it easier for police to deal with the problem.

"We want to ensure the public and businesses are protected because they're the ones affected by anti-social behaviour."

'Feeling intimidated'

Councillor Roger Jeavons, chairman of the committee, said they had listened to evidence from the police.

"We have looked at pages and pages of reports from police regarding, in particular, aggressive begging - that was the biggest issue," he said.

"People are feeling very intimidated by these sort of people who are sitting outside ATMs and car park paying machines."

The council wants to introduce a new Public Spaces Protection Order to tackle anti-social behaviour ahead of the opening of the new Friar's Walk shopping centre next month.

It consulted with members of the public about what they would like to see included, such as a ban on begging, rough sleeping, dogs who are not on leads and leafleting in the city centre.

Mr Evans added that the scrutiny committee did not back a recommendation to ban leafleting in the city centre because members did not want to damage small businesses.