A MEASURE aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour in Keighley town centre is set to be continued.

The Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) was introduced three years ago, in a bid to help stamp out problems caused by street drinking.

Bradford Council officers are recommending that the order – and others in the city centre, Shipley and Bingley – be extended for another three years.

Keighley Business Improvement District manager, Paul Howard, supports the extension.

But he adds that problems “haven’t gone away” since the move was first introduced.

Under the PSPO, authorised officers can demand the surrender of alcohol if they believe its consumption will lead to anti-social behaviour. Anyone failing to comply with the order can be issued with a £100 fixed penalty notice and may face prosecution through the courts if they don’t pay-up.

Mr Howard said: “These orders are a good thing and might help, but we still have issues.

“We have been talking with the council and police about the problem and there are organisations looking at what can be done. We’ve had feedback from businesses, which are concerned about the situation.

“It’s been on our radar for a while but things have ramped-up a bit in recent months.”

‘Hotspots’ for street drinking have included the area outside Keighley bus station, beneath the ramp at the Cavendish Street/Hanover Street junction and Town Hall Square.

As part of Bradford Council public consultation over the proposed continuation of the orders, 19 people in Keighley responded to an online survey.

Forty-two per cent of respondents felt that alcohol-related anti-social behaviour had remained at the same level, 37 per cent believed it had increased and 21 per cent that it had fallen.

Twenty-six per cent of people said they didn’t feel safe in the town centre, while 21 per cent said they did. Fifty-three per cent said they didn’t feel any more or less safe since the order had been introduced.

Councillor Abdul Jabar, executive member for neighbourhoods and community safety, said: “We would prefer that everyone treated our public spaces and other members of the community with respect. For the minority whose behaviour causes a problem, we need the power to challenge that."

The orders will be discussed on Thursday (Sept 12) by the regulatory and appeals committee.