At a Cabinet meeting this week, New Forest District Council approved, in principle, two Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) for public consultation.
The proposed orders look to ban the lighting of fires and use of BBQs principally on the Crown Lands, managed by Forestry England, and the feeding and petting of ponies, horses, mules, and donkeys in the open areas of the New Forest.
Although a bylaw already bans lighting fires and feeding Commoner's animals, a PSPO is a legal classification that gives wider enforcement powers, including administering Fixed Penalty Notices for breaches. If approved, the PSPOs would allow Fixed Penalty Notices to be issued with penalties of up to £100 or up to £1,000 with a Magistrates’ Court prosecution.
New Forest District Council will now seek the views of members of the public during a period of consultation beginning in December, and officers will report back findings to the Cabinet meeting in Spring 2023.
The proposal of the two new PSPOs comes after ongoing discussions with the New Forest Recreation Management Strategy Steering Group. As part of the group, the Council have been involved in talks about how to deal with certain anti-social behaviours within the New Forest.
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