Public Space Protection Orders PSPOs

PSPOs deal with a problem in an area that is harmful to the local community's quality of life, by controlling how people can use that area. This applies to everyone. They make sure the community can use public spaces, safe from anti-social behaviour.

They provide the police and council with more powers to tackle anti-social behaviour.

There are three PSPOs set up in Wakefield district for:

• Wakefield City Centre - street drinking, and urinating and defecating in alleyways - view the map
• Pontefract Town Centre - street drinking, and urinating and defecating in alleyways - view the map
• Castleford Town Centre - street drinking, and urinating and defecating in alleyways - view the map
• Tuscany Way, Normanton - vehicle and anti-social behaviour nuisance.

Anyone found to be breaking the terms of the PSPOs can be issued fine.

The PSPOs we have in place so far have proven to be successful in tackling anti-social behaviour, and we are currently looking at where else in the district we can use them.

Latest updates to PSPOs

Car cruising Public Spaces Protection Order

On 21 October our Cabinet agreed to introduce a Public Spaces Protection Order for car cruising.

This gives us, and West Yorkshire Police, greater powers to tackle the use of vehicles in an anti-social way.

This will come into force on 1 December 2025 and will allow us to address persistent anti-social behaviour and nuisance issues to improve the quality of life for our local community. 

Wakefield city centre Public Spaces Protection Order

On 18 November 2025, Cabinet agreed to renew the Wakefield city centre PSPO for a further three years. 

The order will help the police and the council tackle long-standing local anti-social behaviour. Including drinking alcohol, using drugs and urinating in the city centre.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the consultation. The PSPO will be implemented in due course.