Leather footballs have been banned from a school playground under “cowboy laws” that enable councils to criminalise everyday annoyances.
A school in Merseyside was issued with a community protection notice (CPN) by Sefton council after complaints about noise. Under the order “heavy leather footballs” are banned and “light flyway or foam footballs” must be used instead.
A report by the Manifesto Club, a campaign group, says that last year there were almost 26,000 community protection warnings (CPW) or CPNs issued by councils across England, compared with just under 14,000 in 2014-15.
The group is calling for the “cowboy” powers, largely used for “targeting trivial incidents” to be shelved.
The football ban is among dozens of legal orders made by local councils detailed in the report. Other examples include restrictions on people loitering, swearing, turning up the volume on their televisions or leaving chalk markings in public areas.
In response to unresolved complaints about disruptive behaviour, councils first issue a CPW and if this is then breached a CPN order is put in place. It is a criminal offence to break a CPN, punishable by a fine of up to £2,500.
More than 200 councils issued CPNs last year, according to figures obtained under Freedom of Information laws. Messy gardens, bird feeding, begging, neighbour disputes and barking dogs were among the most common reasons for issuing an order. Several councils also handed out CPNs for loud televisions, bonfires, shouting, swearing and loitering.
The leather footballs CPN was issued following a large number of noise complaints from residents, and was in place for a maximum of three months while works to address the issues were applied. A spokesman for the council said: “During this time Sefton council worked closely with the school to implement a number of provisions to combat issues of noise and disruption, which have been successful.”
The Manifesto club said many councils issued CPNs and CPWs for what appeared to be “minor or trivial issues”. These included allotment management, DIY and noise from cockerels and nesting pigeons. The report also said some councils issued CPNs in cases where there seemed to be a criminal law or other regulation that could have been applied. In several cases public drug taking or domestic abuse was dealt with by a council CPN.
The community notices were introduced in 2014 during the antisocial behaviour reforms, but unlike the earlier Asbos they do not have to be approved by a court.