Yobs and aggressive beggars could face £1,000 penalties under plans to 'protect' Sheffield city centre

The city council is working with police on plans for a zone banning anti-social behaviour with £100-on-the-spot fines, rising to £1,000 following prosecution for non-payment. The orders give council officials and police the power to hand out fines.

Barnsley has a PSPO covering its town centre. Banned activities include persistent or aggressive begging, or sales, or ‘attempts to interact with members of the public’. Using a skateboard, bicycle, scooter in a way which causes harassment, alarm or distress or damage to property are also banned. And urinating or defecating in public.

Richard Williams, committee chairman for communities, parks and leisure at Sheffield City council, said the idea is to make the city centre ‘welcoming and safe’.

He added: “We have regular discussions about the work that we do and how we do it, taking feedback from our communities and stakeholders. Before any local authority can introduce a Public Space Protection Order, proposals need to be developed and shared for public consultation.”

A South Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said discussions were at a very early stage and it was a council-led process.

Last month, South Yorkshire Police chief constable Lauren Poultney reported that anti-social behaviour in the city centre was down 30 per cent - and could fall further if a PSPO was introduced.

Human rights organisation Liberty has criticised the orders for 'criminalising homelessness' and attempting to ban rough sleeping and begging.