Tenterden Residents Asked to Have Their Say on Proposed Anti-Social Behaviour Crackdown

Wildlife Killed, Property Damaged — Now Authorities Want New Powers

Dead wildlife. Smashed car windows. Reports of catapults and slingshots being fired around a market town that pulls in visitors from right across the Weald. That’s what prompted Ashford Borough Council to launch a formal consultation on a proposed Public Spaces Protection Order — a PSPO — covering Tenterden Urban.

If introduced, the order would hand police officers, Police Community Support Officers and authorised council officers the power to act against a specific list of behaviours in public spaces across the town and its surrounding urban area.

What the Proposed Order Would Actually Restrict

The draft restrictions are pointed. Anyone found carrying a device capable of firing a projectile — catapults, slingshots and the like — could face enforcement action. Vehicles used in a way that causes nuisance, alarm or distress would fall under the order too, as would e-scooters ridden dangerously or in a manner that puts people at risk. And foul or abusive language used in public where it causes harassment or distress would be covered.

Breach of a PSPO is a criminal offence.

On the spot, that’s a £100 fixed penalty notice. Take it to the Magistrates’ Court and the fine jumps to £1,000 on summary conviction — not nothing, for what amounts to shouting at someone in a car park.

The proposal follows months of reported incidents received jointly by the council, Kent Police and Tenterden Town Council. Wildlife killed, residential property damaged, vehicles targeted — with projectile devices identified as a common thread running through the complaints.

Not the First Time Ashford Has Used These Powers

This isn’t new territory for the borough. Ashford already runs PSPOs covering Ashford Town Centre and South Ashford, where similar restrictions on projectile devices, e-scooters and anti-social vehicle use have been sitting on the books for some time. Those orders typically run for up to three years before requiring review and renewal. The Tenterden proposal mirrors that framework, shaped around evidence gathered locally.

PSPOs were created under section 59 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. They apply to everyone within a defined geographic area — not just individuals with existing orders against them — which is precisely what gives them teeth, and why getting the wording right actually matters.

The Concerns Worth Raising Now

PSPOs have attracted criticism nationally. The worry is wording loose enough to snag perfectly ordinary behaviour if the definitions aren’t drawn carefully. How exactly is “anti-social use of vehicles” defined? Who decides when language crosses into causing distress? A heated argument? A loud phone call? Fair questions, all of them — and the consultation is the moment to put them.

Because once the order’s finalised, that’s largely that.

So if you live, work or spend time in Tenterden, residents, businesses and visitors are all invited to comment on the proposed restrictions and flag any additional issues they think should be included. Ashford’s Community Safety team is leading the engagement, with the consultation running through the council’s portal and Tenterden Town Council’s own channels.

—

Key Takeaways

• Ashford Borough Council, Kent Police and Tenterden Town Council have jointly launched a public consultation on a proposed PSPO for Tenterden Urban, following reports of wildlife being killed and property damaged
• The draft order would restrict possession of projectile devices, anti-social vehicle use, nuisance e-scooter riding and abusive language in public spaces, with fines up to £1,000 for breach
• The consultation is open to residents, businesses and visitors, who can also suggest additional issues they believe should be covered by the order

What This Means for Kent Residents

If the PSPO goes through, anyone using public spaces in Tenterden Urban will need to know the new local rules — including law-abiding e-scooter riders and vehicle users who could inadvertently fall foul of how the restrictions are worded. For residents who’ve had property damaged or watched local wildlife get killed, the order hands enforcement officers clearer, faster powers to act. But the consultation phase is the only formal chance to shape how those powers are written and applied. Engage now, before it’s signed off, and you’ve got a real say. Leave it until after — and you haven’t.