AS A libertarian socialist I am very concerned that Torfaen Council and Gwent Police have introduced a borough wide designated Public Places Order (DPPO) which means anyone drinking alcohol in public must stop if asked to do so by a police or council officer. As there are laws against being drunk and disorderly, underage drinking, harassment etc, could Chief Constable Carmel Napier and Councillor Bob Wellington give a detailed explanation why this order was introduced?

So we are all comfortable that we have handed power to police or council officers to decide (using a subjective judgement) as to whether we may continue to drink alcohol? This is rather totalitarian and makes me wonder if we are living is some kind of Stalinist state! (Very similar to the “moral” police who patrol Iran).

As the town centre is a DPPO will the police stop harassing people who hand out anti-cuts leaflets? If it’s a public place it can’t also be a private one can it? Could Chief Constable Napier please explain?

Terry Banfield, Cardigan Crescent, Croesyceiliog