THIS week many of our readers were discussing our story on plans by Newport City Council which could give police power to crack down on begging in the city centre.

The council’s Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) was introduced in November 2015 in an effort to stamp out anti-social behaviour, banning activities such as “aggressive begging”.

However, the order is being reviewed after a report said it had been “ineffective”.

Among proposed revisions are to give police powers to crack down on all begging in the city centre. And the public are to be asked for their views.

Here’s what you said about it on our website and Facebook:

WHY not just house them and give them the help they need?

fea

HOW do you set priorities? 150,000 families are in B&Bs now, there IS no accommodation to offer, and NO support for those on the streets who need psychiatric and help not just a roof and a meal. According to SHELTER 60 per cent have refused offers of accommodation preferring to stay on the street.

First you need to ID the beggars from the homeless and the professional beggars who commute to Newport city centre daily from the estates.

Any priority I would like to see go to members of our armed forces dumped on the streets and forgotten about after risking their lives for us, and vulnerable women.

It should be conditional that if any addictions are evident they have to agree to treatment.

mervynjames224

TODAY I bought a freezing homeless guy a hot tea and breakfast roll not because he was begging but because he was wrapped in a sleeping bag in an alley shivering.

He was reluctant to take it from me because a cop was moving him along and was watching!!!

Since when was it a crime to help someone out who’s down on their luck?

What harm was he doing sheltering in a alley with no shops?

Abi Gwyer

I THINK it’s a shame we can`t section them under the mental health act.

Two things will happen to them, they either get the help they need or they come to their senses very quickly.

A ban now is the only alternative because if we don`t it will send a messages to others that Newport is supportive of them, and will tolerate them and more will follow!

Advantage4

I’VE never come across an aggressive beggar.

They ask, I say no or go and get a hot drink for them or something to eat.

At the end of the day they just want to be treated as human beings not sub-human. The only aggressiveness I have come across is chuggers and salespeople.

Carlos678

BAN begging, but make sure no one needs to beg first. Something has to be in place to give food and shelter to whoever needs it.

Olwen Price

Another issue that got people talking was the Welsh Government’s proposal to ban smacking children, which has been put out to consultation.

The proposal would not make smacking a criminal offence but rather remove the defence of “reasonable punishment” in assault and battery cases.

This would mean an adult looking after a child will not be able to use physical or corporate punishment as a legal defence if accused of hitting them.

Here is what you had to say on our website and Facebook:

I FIND it hard to believe that this wasn’t banned ages ago.

Other than providing a sense of relief for weak, frustrated parents, does smacking children achieve anything other than indicating that violence is an acceptable way to deal with problems or differences of opinion?

Mike Roland

HOW about the Welsh Government worry about running the country and I will worry about raising my children?

Does anyone really feel that parents who smack their children (and I am one of those parents when needed) do not know the difference between assault and battery and a cuff around the back of the legs when everything else has failed?

If a child is being battered then the person responsible should be dealt with by the police, a “ban” on the practice is not going to change that person’s behaviour as they already cannot see right from wrong. Do not lump everyone in that same bracket as there is a world of difference between a smack and assault.

Pafkay

IT’S going to bring back child abuse and that it’s okay to hurt a child.

It’s not okay! My older sister would always hurt me and always say that I did stuff and I got smacked for no reason.

It showed us that by smacking people in the house, that it was okay to smack their younger sisters/brothers. Foster carers are not allowed to smack the child/children they are looking after. Why should it be okay for parents?

chlooooeee