Agenda item

A QUESTION FROM COUNCILLOR MUNNS REGARDING THE BEACH AND COASTAL PSPO

Minutes:

Councillor Munns asked Councillor Albon the following question:

 

“During the summer a large rave was held on the Beach at Foreness point; even larger and noisier than last year. No action was taken last year or this year to remove them from the beach. Botany and Joss bay had a steady stream of campers, caravans and motorhomes on the green areas and the beaches with no enforcement to remove or dissuade them.

One encampment at the base of the stacks at botany bay was there for several days creating a no go area for visitors with rubbish and human faeces. Again enforcement officers took no action

Year on year these same problems are increasing, with the associated amount of rubbish and human excrement left behind because of no facilities.  Discarded bbqs, human faeces and litter are ubiquitous and undermine Thanet’s tourism industry. Is there any point in having a beach and coastal PSPO if it's not being enforced?”

 

Councillor Albon responded that:

 

·  Raves are usually set up and attended during anti-social hours. Raves are enforced by Kent Police, they have specific powers to deal with them. Thanet District Council has an out of hours noise service that will respond if 3 or more complaints are received. The Council will attend to witness and then involve the police for their enforcement powers.

 

·  Our Coastal Enforcement Officers are employed to work between the hours of 10am and 6pm. However, they would be unable to stop an event of that size without police presence. In addition, out of hours noise officers would also be unable to stop an event of that size without police presence.

 

·  There was one report received on the Tuesday morning after the illegal rave had occurred. The Council and the police were unaware of the rave until this time. Coastal Enforcement Officers had patrolled the area during their duty hours and no reports of activity had been logged. In addition security officers engaged and managed by Broadstairs Town Council check the area until 8pm.

 

·  The August weekend that the rave happened was a very busy weekend with the Margate Soul Festival, Telemo beach party on Margate main sands and with events at Dreamland. Therefore our Coastal Officers were stationed at areas of priority where events were held.

 

·  Reports of camping, gatherings and BBQ’s are dealt with quickly by our officers. With regards to overnight camping, Coastal Officers follow the tent checking process set by the RISE team for homeless persons (the process is not immediate and can take up to one week).

 

·  The aim of the beach PSPO is to keep our district’s beaches safe and clean and protect the environment by preventing and managing anti-social behaviour through interventions, education and enforcement.

Councillor Munns followed up his question with a supplementary question asking whether the council should supplement the enforcement team with more resources moving forward.

 

Councillor Albon responded that whilst this possibility would be looked into, it would come at an additional cost. Additionally, private officers did not have the right of arrest and instead the beach and coastal teams should work more closely with the police.