NEWPORT council turned down the chance to implement a contentious measure which could have seen homeless people fined for living in the city centre.

Campaigners and some within the controlling Labour Party’s group on the authority had doubts over its Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) – but a diluted amendment was opted for by members.

It had been proposed that begging and rough sleeping “where the offer of accommodation has been unreasonably refused” would be banned in the city centre. 

But that was rejected by cabinet member responsible for the measures Cllr Bob Poole.  

He said of the council’s policy: “It is all about protecting people, protecting people who can’t look after themselves.

“I was in London at the weekend and every other door had people in a doorway…it was awful. We cannot really criminalise [rough sleepers].”

As part of the plan that was eventually passed by councillors and supported by Cllr Poole, drinking alcohol will be banned outside licensed premises, people must not be approached in a “persistent manner” looking to subscribe to charities, dogs must be kept on leads – which must not be more than 1.5 metres long – and landowners can only grant people permission for flyposting on their property.

In total, 41 councillors voted for the council's preferred measure and three abstained. 

Conservative Party members spoke in favour of the council's so-called option one for the PSPO, which would have seen begging and rough sleeping banned in Newport city centre.

The group’s leader Cllr Matthew Evans said: "We are not in a third world country and this is not the 18th century and nobody should be begging on the streets."

Later he added: “People need help and support but the businesses and people who work there also need that.”

But Cllr Mark Whitcutt accused Cllr Evans of acting like Mr Bumble in Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist in looking to dismiss beggars from the city centre’s streets.

And Labour’s Cllr Tom Bond said Cllr Evans’ plan would have proved disastrous for people in need.

He said: “If you hide it in one ward you only put it into another. There is more that needs to be done and we need to make progress on some of the issues that have come out but you cannot put a rule [down].”

Earlier Gwent Police’s Supt Joanne Bull had told the council that the police’s support of the PSPO was to help people living on the street rather than criminalise them.

She said: “I think we all have a duty of care to support people who are homeless, to support them living a sustainable life.”