PEOPLE are being asked whether a city centre ban dealing with street drinkers and drug-takers causing a nuisance is working.

Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Police have been enforcing a Public Spaces Protection Order for the city centre and surrounding area for the last 10 months.

It aims to reduce anti-social behaviour caused by people drinking alcohol or using so-called legal highs, giving the police, police community support officers and the council’s anti-social behaviour officers added powers to intervene.

Anyone caught can be issued a fixed penalty notice of £100 if they refuse to co-operate. It can lead to up to a £2,000 fine if the matter ends up in court.

The latest figures show that between April and November, alcohol was confiscated 285 times in Bradford when drinkers were approached by officers.

Now the council wants to assess how effective the order has been and whether any changes should be made, so is asking people to have their say.

The consultation will look at whether the order is helping to reduce anti-social behaviour; whether the area protected by the order should be altered; if other types of anti-social behaviour are causing problems in the city centre; and whether other types of anti-social behaviour should also be banned.

The order applies to a large part of central Bradford, from Little Germany in the east, the University of Bradford in the west, Forster Square retail park in the north and Hawkshead Estate in the south.

The rules apply within all public spaces although people are still allowed to drink in outdoor seating areas for premises with an alcohol licence.

Traders have often complained about problem drinkers and drug-users blighting areas of the city centre, such as City Park.

Val Summerscales, secretary of the Bradford and District Chamber of Trade, said she would welcome any changes to toughen up the order if the feedback showed it was necessary.

“Anti-social behaviour in the city centre does nothing for daytime or nighttime trade. Businesses don’t want their customers to fell vulnerable or unsafe,” she added.

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Councillor Abdul Jabar, the council’s executive member for neighbourhoods and community safety, said: “We would encourage anyone who visits or works in the city centre to take part in the consultation so that we can work together to make Bradford city centre the best that it can be.”

To take part in the short online survey, visit surveys.bradford.gov.uk The closing date is Friday, March 23, 2018.