A NEW system has been launched for Basildon residents to report anti-social behaviour.

It follows the recent implementation of Basildon Council's Public Spaces Protection Order PSPO), a legal power covering specific restricted areas within the borough such as parks and town centres. Breaching it by carrying out specific anti-social behaviour is a criminal offence which can be subject to a fine on prosecution of up to £1,000.

The PSPO is being enforced by the council's Community Safety Wardens, who were introduced to the borough earlier in June.

The terms of the order include banning car cruising in Festival Leisure Park, Mayflower Retail Park, and Pitsea Town Centre, as well as the use of any motor vehicle without reasonable excuse or the express permission of the council in 15 of our borough's parks including Gloucester Park, Lake Meadows, and Northlands Park.

The PSPO also bans the possession of any open container of alcohol in Basildon and Pitsea town centres and the consumption of alcohol, or use of illegal drugs or psychoactive substances anywhere in the borough where it is causing ASB. As well as prohibiting the use of pony and traps in Cranfield Park, Northlands Park, and Wickford Barn Hall Recreation Ground.

The form to report offences is available on Basildon Council's website at: www.basildon.gov.uk/PSPO – and residents can report any of the prohibitions alongside the location and time the anti-social behaviour took place.

Council leader Cllr Andrew Baggott, who is also the cabinet member for enforcement and public order, said: "Our PSPO bans various types of ASB and is enforceable by our new Community Safety Wardens, who we've introduced to make our public spaces both safer and to show our zero tolerance approach to crime and ASB across the borough.

"This reporting form will be crucial for us in responding to incidents of ASB directly, but also so we can build intelligence of hotpots in the borough to be able to target our patrols in these locations.

"Please help us by reporting any related ASB you see, so that alongside partners such as Essex Police we can tackle the behaviour that you don't want to see in our borough."