Brent Council has asked the public to comment on whether it should renew an order that will allow it to hand out on the spot fines for street drinking.

It is consulting on its public spaces protection order (PSPO) that would mean any person is “prohibited from consuming alcohol or having an open alcohol container in public spaces in the borough” at any time over the next three years.

Residents are invited to have their say on the measures and, if they are renewed, council officers and the police will have the power to take immediate enforcement actions – including fines – if the rules are broken.

Cllr Tom Miller, who is responsible for community safety and engagement at Brent Council, said: “The PSPO was introduced to tackle the anti-social behaviour that blights the lives of others, but we also ensure that those street drinkers who are vulnerable and fallen on tough times can access the help and support they need to turn their lives around.”

He said there has been a decrease in reports of anti-social behaviour related to street drinking over the past two years which “shows the positive impact that taking this approach has had”.

However, the council noted that alcohol “remains a driver for violent crime”, with 57 per cent of the calls to the police for violence related crime between July 2018 and June 2020 involving alcohol.

Visit consultation.brent.gov.uk/community-protection/pspo/ to take part in the consultation.