New rules have been drawn-up by the council in efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour.

The new Weymouth and Portland Anti-Social Behaviour Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) was drawn up following a public consultation.

The order will be in place in restricted areas within the borough of Weymouth and in Easton Square on Portland and covers the consumption of alcohol in public places, begging, feeding gulls and cycling on the promenade.

Cycling on the promenade

Rules on cycling along the promenade will be relaxed, now only restricting cycling between 10am and 5.30pm from Good Friday to October 31 annually. Right of way will remain with pedestrians.

Consuming alcohol in public places

Within the restricted areas, the order will make it an offence to continue to consume alcohol where a constable or authorised officer has directed someone not to do so, in the reasonable belief that such a direction is necessary to prevent public nuisance, public order or anti-social behaviour. The constable or authorised officer can require anyone to surrender anything which they believe to be alcohol or a container for alcohol. Fixed Penalty Notices may be issued if there is no reasonable excuse not to comply with the requirement.

Intentional feeding of gulls

The order will make it an offence for any person to provide or deposit food, intentionally, for the consumption of gulls. This measure has been introduced to help tackle the growing problem of gulls causing alarm, annoyance and injury.

Begging

New rules banning begging will also be introduced. Begging issues have been identified by the borough council, police, residents and shop owners, over the last few years. Responses to the public consultation made it clear, measures are wanted to deter begging in the town centre. Begging is already prohibited on the promenade under local Byelaws.

Mike Byatt, community safety briefholder at Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, said: “We looked carefully at all the responses and have done our best to take a common sense approach.

“New rules on begging will be introduced, and while we will continue to be sensitive to people genuinely in need of our support, Fixed Penalty Notices will be available if there is no other alternative to tackle the problem of begging.

“New measures will also be introduced to ban feeding gulls. This should reduce the problem of gulls mobbing people as they can cause alarm and injury, especially to children.

“I am glad that cycling in the summer during quieter periods will now be welcomed, as we are keen to do what we can to promote fitness and physical activity."

The new order, which replaces the existing rules, will come into force on Monday, August 20.

New signage will be erected within the restricted areas. Full information and maps showing the restricted areas will be available at dorsetforyou.gov.uk/pspo-asb-weymouth-and-portland