Green Councillors express their dismay as Labour and LibDem councillors vote on a harsh new measure to criminalise homeless people.
Sheffield City Council’s Communities, Parks and Leisure Policy Committee insisted on forcing through a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), despite numerous concerns raised by Green councillors, members of the public, local organisations and charities including the Archer Project, Ben’s Centre, Sheffield Hallam University academics and human rights lawyers from Liberty.
Questions were met with awkward and uncomfortable responses. Many questions remain inadequately answered. The outcome is that the new PSPO:
- criminalises homeless people without providing new resources to help them
- was made without a disability impact assessment when most people sleeping rough have mental or physical health issues, including brain injuries
- was made without a race impact assessment and ignores Sheffield’s Race Equality Commission recommendations
- undermines the expert local knowledge of the Archer Project, Ben’s Centre and other front-line organisations
- will drive nuisance behaviours into residential areas
- doesn’t provide any more resources, either to enforce the PSPO or support services
Cllr Marieanne Elliot, the sole Green Party representative on the committee, said;
“The Committee only had around one hour to discuss this proposal of huge significance. This clearly wasn’t long enough and the Chair stopped me asking all my questions. There are still so many uncomfortable truths that haven’t properly been considered.
“Although the proposal has been amended since it first came to Committee in January and now includes an ‘enforcement and support’ approach, the much-needed support route lacks detail and clarity. This was raised by organisations helping to deal with the behaviours arising from the social issues that the PSPO powers can enforce against. There is no extra resource for these amazing voluntary sector organisations, which is a real shame. It was also disappointing to see that their feedback was not given due weight in the consultation process – I was expecting to see a section with the professional opinions highlighted and also expected they should be involved in ongoing, genuine consultation as promised in a Council FAQs document produced in December 2023. I was disappointed to learn that the Sheffield Hallam University academics, who offered a wealth of expertise and research, were also not properly involved, as promised.
“I’m very concerned by the decision not to undertake a full equality impact assessment. Given the nature of the proposal it should have been clear that people with the protected characteristics of race and disability will be disproportionately impacted, yet there is no explicit reference to these groups. The PSPO report and recommendations therefore cannot be relied on and, according to Liberty, could be unlawful. I proposed deferring the decision but this was not supported by any of the Labour or Lib Dem councillors.
“Sheffield should have taken the opportunity to show we do things in a more compassionate way instead of feeding intolerance and discrimination. I couldn’t support a proposal that hasn’t considered the legal duties on disability and race. Sheffield’s Race Equality Commission recommendations include Action 2 d) ‘make transparent the use of robust Equality Impact Assessments that are less tick-box and more holistic in order to drive improved understanding of potential change impacts on ethnic groups.’ This clearly hasn’t happened.”
Cllr Douglas Johnson, who represents City Ward where the PSPO will be in force, added;
“The ward councillors do not support this measure. Nor do the experts in the voluntary sector services that we are proud to support. As a result of their efforts, the council already admits that Sheffield is one of the safest cities in the UK. We have so much expertise amongst the people who actually do the work that it is disappointing to see their views sidelined.
“The hundreds of people who wrote out comments did not support the PSPO either. Although a majority of consultation respondents said they supported the proposals, most of the people who gave reasoned comments were “negative,” “mixed” or, at best, “neutral” towards having a PSPO. Whilst we have all seen anti-social behaviour, I pointed out that a PSPO will not make it disappear and the council has admitted it will not stop anti-social behaviour.
“What’s more, having a PSPO in place damages the really good work that has been done to keep Sheffield’s streets safe and to look after the many people with brain injuries and other social care needs.
“The PSPO will shift nuisance behaviours to areas such as Netherthorpe, Lansdowne, Leverton, St Mary’s, Highfield, Park Hill flats and Kelham Island. This is acknowledged by the council but there is no plan and no resource to tackle the displacement.
“We were informed by officers, learning from other towns and cities, PSPOs can work if they are given sufficient resources. However, no extra resources are being provided in Sheffield.”
Overall, the comments in the consultation were not favourable to the introduction of a PSPO. Of the 1205 individual respondents, 872 gave further comments. Of these, only 8% of those were classed as “positive” compared to 52% “negative.” Of the 77 organisations that responded, 57 gave further comments. None of these were classed as “positive”.
