Breaking down England's fiscal devolution plans
David Phillips of the IFS tells LocalGov why England's regional finance reforms are modest by global comparison and what ministers still need to get right.
Call for more scrutiny around PSPOs
29/04/2026 Councils are using public space orders to ban everyday activities, research has found. |
Anti-abortion campaigner fined £20k for ‘buffer zone’ breach
07/04/2025 An anti-abortion campaigner has been given a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £20,000 to BCP Council for breaching a protest ‘buffer zone’. |
Thanet council drops ‘foul language’ ban
23/08/2024 Thanet District Council members have dropped plans to ban the use of ‘foul language’ after free speech activists threatened to take legal action. |
Councils issue record number of finds for 'busybody' offences
20/07/2023 Local authorities issued the highest ever number of penalties for anti-social behaviour – or for what have been branded 'busybody' offences – in 2022. |
BCP Council proposes barbeque ban
25/01/2023 BCP Council has launched a consultation on proposals to prohibit barbeques in public spaces and other ‘negative behaviours’. |
BCP Council bans protests around abortion clinic
12/10/2022 BCP Council has agreed to implement a buffer zone around an abortion clinic in Bournemouth to prevent protestors from harassing women and staff. |
Rough sleepers ‘criminalised’ by PSPOs
03/10/2022 People experiencing homelessness are disproportionately criminalised in areas with Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs), a new report reveals. |
Safeguarding communities from anti-social behaviour with multi-agency enforcement
05/04/2022 Dyl Kurpil explains how effective Public Spaces Protection Order enforcement can rapidly transform a community, rebuilding trust and reinvigorating local economies. |
Councils levy over £1m fines for COVID offences
18/06/2021 Councils have issued over £1m in fines to businesses for COVID offences, an investigation has unveiled. |
Councils taking ‘zero tolerance’ approach to community posters
25/11/2019 Nearly half of councils remove all posters put up by community groups, a new investigation has revealed. |
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Liberty to bring legal challenge against Legal Aid Agency
23/10/2018 A civil liberties group will take the Government to court over its refusal to provide legal aid to those wishing to challenge councils over their use of anti-social behaviour legislation. |
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Ealing Council is first to approve abortion clinic safe zone
11/04/2018 Ealing has become the first council in the UK to introduce a ‘safe zone’ around an abortion clinic. |
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Nearly half of councils using powers to ban anti-social behaviour
31/07/2017 More than 100 councils have used new powers to curb a range of anti-social behaviour – from begging to swearing – in a 16-month time period, according to a new report. |
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Council to use PSPOs to ‘crackdown’ on dog walkers
28/03/2017 A London borough is looking to crackdown on professional dog walkers after complaints dogs are spoiling the area’s parks. |
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Somerset considers banning drones
22/08/2016 A council in the South West is considering introducing a PSPO in order to ban the use of drones in public places. |
