Earlier this year, Elmbridge Borough Council ran a consultation about bringing in a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to target so-called “unauthorised” mooring, barbecues, littering and night fishing on Council land along the River Thames. The outcome of the Green Spaces PSPO consultation was recently announced. Elmbridge has decided to bring in a PSPO that will ban and criminalise the activities of using barbecues or lighting fires; overnight camping; and fishing. The Order will be called the Elmbridge Borough Council (Naked flames and fishing) Public Spaces Protection Order 2023.
The Council will not implement a proposed PSPO to criminalise mooring on its land. Instead it will carry out a further consultation with boaters about a PSPO targeting mooring on the Council’s land. This will be publicised online; at Council-owned mooring locations along the Thames; and the NBTA will be consulted.
The Council’s report of 5th July 2023 stated in paragraph 64 that:
“While a number of the concerns raised in the consultation have already been answered, some aspects require further clarity, and in order to be transparent and to ensure that the statutory conditions for making such an order are met, it is proposed to carry out a second phase of consultation with more detail as to how a potential PSPO for unauthorised moorings would be implemented and enforced.”
Ian Burrows, Elmbridge Head of Culture, Leisure and Environment said:
“The Council continues to seek a long term solution to unauthorised mooring in the Borough. Where boats are moored without permission on Elmbridge land but are unregistered these are still very challenging to move on and a PSPO may be one solution to this on Elmbridge owned land. Whatever solution is found, will need the support and assistance of the Environment Agency to implement.”
See the Council’s consultation report and response to the NBTA’s submission here at agenda item 15/23:
http://mygov.elmbridge.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=146&MId=4277