Council survey asks if you find busking in Northampton 'unreasonable' or 'detrimental to quality of life'

Residents are being asked whether officers should be given the power to ticket buskers, cyclists and people who spit in Northampton town centre.

A consultation is open until March 10 on whether the borough council is doing enough to combat anti-social behaviour like street-drinking, public urination and letting dogs foul on the pavement.

But as part of the online survey, residents are also being asked if the council should give officers powers to deal with other town centre behaviour - like begging, busking and cycling on the pavement.

Take the questionnaire on the borough council's website here.The online questionnaire by the borough council asks whether a time limit of up to three hours or more should be imposed on buskers and street entertainers for how long they should be allowed to perform for.

It also asks what the council's and officers' approach to begging should be, or if people should be ticketed for spitting and cycling on the pavement.

A question on the survey reads: "The council has received complaints about busking and performances of street entertainment, with or without amplified music and singing.

"This is not currently regulated at all by the council. Do you think busking or performances of street entertainment are, or likely to be detrimental to quality of life, persistent in nature or unreasonable?"

The survey relates to how the town's public spaces protection order (PSPO) works and if it should be renewed for another three years.

PSPOs allow officers in a designated area to issue fixed-penalty notices of £100 to people who commit anti-social behaviour.

Councillor Anna King, Northampton Borough Council cabinet member for community safety and engagement, said: “The public consultation for this PSPO is really important in helping us understand residents’ needs and their views about how to address anti-social behaviour taking place in the area.

“The questionnaire only takes a few minutes to complete, so we encourage as many people as possible to take part and have their say.”

People can also request a paper copy of the questionnaire: Community Safety, Northampton Borough Council, The Guildhall, St Giles Square, Northampton NN1 1DE, or by emailing [email protected]