Councillors were accused of attempting to ‘make homeless people criminals’ as a proposed ban on begging was put on hold. 

Members of West Dorset District Council’s (WDDC) full council debated as they were asked to pass a motion for a new Public Space Protection Order, which would include a restriction on begging in Dorchester and Bridport town centres.

The order would mean people deemed “aggressively” begging on the street could be landed with a £100 fine. 

Cllr Alan Thacker, the district council’s spokesman for community safety and access, said that it would target aggressive begging carried out by people asking for money outside cash machines or with signs, and not “genuine buskers”.

However, councillors hit out at the plan with some calling it “sensitive, “inadequate”, and “poorly worded”. 

Cllr Trevor Jones said: “This is extremely sensitive and controversial. One person’s deserving cause is another person’s threatening cause. 

“If there are existing powers, why do we need to bring in new ones? Some will cheer but others will be savage in their criticism. It will stir up local emotions.”

Cllr Dave Rickard agreed. He said: “It is totally inadequate, very woolly, and would cause a huge amount of indiscretion.

“We don’t have that problem in Bridport at the moment. I have never been asked for money. 

“Begging could be seen as a failure of our social services. I don’t think we’re doing ourselves any favours by taking a sledge hammer to crack a nut.”

Cllr Stella Jones, district and Dorchester town councillor, said: “We want to protect people who are actually homeless and in need of money. Because it is so woolly, we could end up making homeless people criminals.”

Councillors agreed to remove the begging ban from the order, and put it before the council’s overview and scrutiny committee once again as a separate item for further discussion. 

The full council unanimously agreed to continue an existing order restricting the consumption of alcohol in Dorchester and Bridport town centres, expanding the area to include Dorchester train station and Brewery Square. 

A ban on feeding seagulls in West Bay and Lyme Regis was also voted in as part of the order.