Public Spaces Protection Orders

Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) were introduced by the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

They specify an area where activities are taking place that are or could be detrimental to the local community's quality of life, and impose conditions or restrictions on people using that area. Breaching the prohibitions could result in a Fixed Penalty Notice or prosecution at Court.

Current Orders 

Parks Public Spaces Protection Order 2021

On 11 August 2021, the City Council introduced new rules to stop people from lighting fires, including barbeques, in Port Meadow, Burgess Field, Wolvercote Common, Rivermead Nature Reserve, Angel and Greyhound Meadow, and South Park.

Port Meadow and Wolvercote Common are both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC); and Burgess Field is a nature reserve.

All these open spaces have been damaged by fires in the past. The fires have burnt the grass and scorched the ground, which can take years to recover. All the parks and open spaces will continue to welcome picnics.

The new rules will not target all Oxford’s parks and open spaces. Instead, they will focus on sites where the City Council has evidence that fires have caused damage in the past.

Separately, the City Council is also introducing new rules to stop people from digging holes to search for old bottles in Port Meadow - a practice that has seen large and damaging holes dug in the protected meadow.

The Order can be downloaded below:

Download Parks Public Spaces Protection Order 2021 (PDF, 1.01MB)

Alcohol Public Spaces Protection Order 2023

Oxford City Council Cabinet approved the Alcohol Disorder Public Spaces Protection Order 2023 on 13 December 2023.  The Order began on the 18th December and lasts for three years.

The Order creates an offence within public spaces in the local authority boundary of Oxford for any person to refuse to stop drinking alcohol or hand over any containers (sealed or unsealed) which are believed to contain alcohol, when required to do so by a police officer or authorised officer in order to prevent public nuisance or disorder, unless they have a reasonable excuse. 

It also creates an offence of obstructing an officer in the course of these duties, including giving false information.

The Order can be downloaded below:

Download the Alcohol Control PSPO 2023 (PDF 1.01MB)

Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order 2023

Oxford City Council Cabinet approved the Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order 2023 on 13 December 2023. The Order began on the 18 December 2023 and lasts for three years.

The Order creates the following offences:

• Owners must put their dog on a lead if required by an Authorised Officer.
• A person must not to be in control of more than four dogs at the same time.
• A person must remove their dog’s faeces.
• Owners must keep their dogs out of children’s play areas.

It also creates an offence of obstructing an officer in the course of these duties, including giving false information.

The Order can be downloaded below:

Download the Dog Control PSPO 2023 (PDF 1.63MB)

Orders not approved or expired

Use the links below for more information about Orders not approved or expired.

• Download Foresters Tower (PDF, 183kB)
• Download City Centre (PDF, 157kB)
• Download Alcohol Disorder PSPO 2020-23 (PDF 575kB)
• Download Alcohol Public Spaces Protection Order 2017-2020 (PDF, 100kB)
• Download Dog Control PSPO 2020-23 (PDF 250kB)
• Download Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order 2017-20 (PDF, 163kB)
• Download St Mary and St John Public Spaces Protection Order (PDF, 103kB)

Penalty for breaches of Orders

It is an offence for a person, without reasonable excuse, to:

• Do anything that the person is prohibited from doing by a PSPO (other than consume alcohol - see below); or
• Fail to comply with a requirement to which the person is subject under a PSPO.

A person guilty of an offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale, or a fixed penalty notice of £100.

It is not an offence to drink alcohol in a public place in Oxford. However, it is an offence to fail to comply with a request to cease drinking or surrender alcohol within the cities administrative boundary. A person guilty of an offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale, or a fixed penalty notice of £100. If alcohol is confiscated, it can be disposed of by the person who confiscates it.

If the fixed penalty notice is paid within its required timescale no further action will be taken. Failure to pay within this time may result in a prosecution for the breach of the order.

For more information please contact us.