More than 250 calls have been made to the police in the last year about alcohol-related anti-social behaviour incidents.

Gravesham council has now decided to renew the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for an alcohol free zone for another three years to help crack down incidents in the town centre.

In a report, police officers who patrol the area said they regularly seize alcohol to prevent issues and businesses continue to report those who are street drinking and the issues it causes for them, showing “how much of a necessity the PSPO still is”.

Between September 2022 and September 2023, the force received 260 alcohol-related anti-social behaviour incident calls in the Pelham and Central wards – where the order covers. In the year before there were 247 reports.

The alcohol control zone has been in place since 2017, and in December 2020 councillors agreed to extend it for a further three years – meaning it expires this December.

The order states no one is permitted to consume alcohol in public spaces in the area identified which covers the town centre and surrounding areas.

If people are seen drinking and causing a nuisance, the police can use the PSPO to remove the alcohol from them and council officers are also able to charge them £75.

In their report, council officers said 22 fixed penalty notices had been issued since April 2021 and six of those received court fines and costs up to £500.

Councillors decided to renew the order for another three years at a meeting on Tuesday, October 17, which will come into effect on December 3.

Speaking after, deputy leader of the council, Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox, said: “The PSPO covering the centre of Gravesend is an important tool for ourselves and Kent Police when it comes to tackling anti-social behaviour.

“Community safety is of the highest priority to us and, contrary to some public perception, reported crime, particularly violent crime, is falling in Gravesend.

“The extension of the town centre PSPO, which is in line with our anti-social behaviour and community safety strategies, means we can continue our work with the police and others in the Gravesham Community Safety Partnership to make sure that trend continues.”

Residents also told council officers they felt safer and had a better quality of life when the order was in place.