Walsall Town Centre Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO)
You said, We did
Consultation Results Summary
We received 146 responses to the five-week public consultation held in June 2026. We asked for views on the restrictions in the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) and the area it should cover.
Feedback showed strong support for continuing the PSPO. Respondents also raised significant concerns about safety, anti-social behaviour and enforcement.
Of the members of the public who responded, 97% supported extending the PSPO, either with changes or without.
What respondents told us
Respondents raised concerns about safety during the day and at night. Common themes included:
- anti-social behaviour
- groups congregating or loitering
- alcohol and drug use
- begging
- concerns about violence and knife crime
- poor lighting in some areas
- a lack of visible police officers and enforcement officers
- fear of visiting alone, particularly at night
Most respondents felt the town centre had got worse over the past three years, particularly its appearance, cleanliness and levels of anti-social behaviour.
For each of the following behaviours covered by the PSPO, more than 100 respondents said it was a very big or fairly big problem:
- drinking alcohol in public places
- use of mechanically propelled scooters
- people remaining at Walsall Market and causing harassment, alarm or distress
- begging that is aggressive or causes distress
- people remaining in bus stations, shelters, the Cenotaph or doorways and causing harassment, alarm or distress
- use of psychoactive substances
Begging was a common concern, particularly aggressive or persistent begging and approaches to motorists.
Several respondents asked for the PSPO boundary to include the Arboretum junction and traffic lights. Other locations mentioned included St Matthew’s Church, Stafford Street, areas around Walsall Manor Hospital, the canal, and surrounding roads and junctions.
A clear and consistent message was that respondents wanted the restrictions to be actively enforced.
PSPO extended until 2029
We considered feedback from residents and businesses alongside information from partners, including West Midlands Police, when renewing the order and responding to emerging issues and areas affected by anti-social behaviour.
The PSPO has been renewed for three years and will remain in place until 18 October 2029.
The boundary has also been expanded to include additional areas affected by anti-social behaviour, including the Walsall Arboretum junction.
Read the full PSPO for Walsall Town Centre.
The restrictions apply 24 hours a day to public spaces within the designated area, including roads, public footpaths, communal car parks and public green spaces.
Enforcement
Authorised council community protection officers and police officers can take enforcement action if someone breaches the PSPO.
Failing to comply with the PSPO without a reasonable excuse is a criminal offence. An authorised officer can issue a £100 fixed penalty notice. A conviction in court can result in a fine of up to £1,000, or £500 for specified alcohol-related offences.
The council and police will continue working together to enforce the PSPO and address anti-social behaviour in Walsall town centre.
Walsall town centre PSPO area
location
Walsall Council first implemented a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) covering part of Walsall Town Centre on 28 September 2017. This was put in place as a means to tackle on going anti-social behaviour that was having a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those who live, work in and visit the locality. The Order is there to ensure the law-abiding majority can use and enjoy public spaces safely, free from anti-social behaviour and places restrictions and requirements on the way people behave within the area covered by the Order.
The Order was extended in 2020 and again extended and amended in 2023. As it has been in place for a further 3-year period, it cannot remain in force unless extended by the council. The council is therefore consulting on whether it would be appropriate to extend or vary the Order to prevent the occurrence or reoccurrence of the behaviour it specifically prohibits. If the Order is extended or varied it will be for a further 3-year period.
Details of the current PSPO Order
Under the order the following specified things are prohibited in the restricted area:
- No person shall remain in a shop, betting office, or food outlet so as, without reasonable excuse, to cause harassment, alarm, or distress.
- No person shall remain at Walsall Market, shown hatched in blue on the map so as, without reasonable excuse, to cause harassment, alarm, or distress.
- No person without reasonable excuse shall in a public place use a hypodermic needle to inject themselves or another.
- No person shall, in a public place other than the carriageway of a highway which does not form part of Walsall Market, use a mechanically propelled scooter other than one designed or adapted for use as an invalid carriage.
- No person shall, without reasonable excuse, throw down, drop or otherwise deposit and leave in any public place a hypodermic needle or other drug paraphernalia.
- No person shall beg in a manner so as to cause harassment alarm or distress.
- No person shall remain in a bus station, a bus shelter, at the cenotaph or in the doorway of any building so as, without reasonable excuse, to cause harassment, alarm, or distress.
- No person shall consume alcohol.
- No person shall consume any psychoactive substances.
- No person shall, except in a lavatory, urinate or defecate in a public place.
It is also ordered that the following specified things are done by persons carrying on specified activities in the restricted area.
- Any person in charge of a dog in a public place must keep the dog on a lead or otherwise under physical control at all times. The provisions of this Order relating to the control of dogs do not apply to any person who is registered blind in accordance with section 29 of the National Assistance Act 1948, to any person who is deaf and in charge of a dog trained by Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and to any person suffering a disability and in charge of a dog trained by a charity to assist with them.
Walsall town centre PSPO area
The order applies to all public spaces within the area restricted area and for 24 hours a day. Public spaces include the highway, public footpaths and public areas of land including communal car parks or grassed areas.
The PSPO area boundary map is shown at the top of this page.
Under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 we are required to consult before an Order can be made (and held again when an Order is extended, varied or discharged).
After the consultation has been concluded and all responses and other supporting information has been considered, the decision will be made as to whether the Order is extended in its current form or varied for a further three period. A decision could also be taken that the Order is no longer required.
If you (or anyone you know) needs this information in an alternative format in
order to have your / their say, i.e. Easy Read, large text, audio, or a community language, please email consultations@walsall.gov.uk or call 01922 650000 and we will work with you to meet your / their needs.
This consultation is now closed. 146 responses were received.