Council scraps controversial Public Spaces Protection Order banning foul language in public spaces

The PSPO was originally proposed in July 2025, intended to cover Westgate-on-Sea, Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate and propose restrictions on the following activities:

• Anti-social groups
• Misuse of public place
• Using foul or abusive language within the hearing or sight of any other person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress by this
• Excreting bodily fluids
• Consuming legal psychoactive substances and other legal intoxicants
• Causing humiliation or degradation
• Consuming alcohol

This marks the second abandonment of its kind, after Thanet also proposed a similar PSPO last summer, but backed away from the move – also following a legal challenge from the FSU.

Cllr Rick Everitt, Leader of Thanet District Council, said: “This decision follows legal correspondence from the Free Speech Union relating to multiple aspects of the Public Spaces Protection Order.

“The council believes that entering into protracted legal disputes, at extensive cost to the local tax payer, should be avoided where an alternative approach can be taken.

“The Free Speech Union did not respond to the public consultation this year and their lawyers raised a large number of issues for the first time subsequent to the Cabinet decision to adopt the draft order in July.

“We do not believe that it is sensible for the first consideration of these matters to be in court, although at this stage we do not recognise them as having merit.

“The use of Public Spaces Protection Orders by local councils to help tackle antisocial behaviour is not unusual and the one agreed in July is predominantly based on provisions previously in force here from 2018 to 2024.”

The Council will now review the abandoned order and consult on an amended order.

Reacting to the Council’s decision not to pursue this PSPO, FSU Chief Legal Counsel Bryn Harris said:

“The FSU notes the decision of Thanet District Council to withdraw its unlawful order.

We congratulate district residents on winning back their freedom of speech, and remind the many local authorities with similar orders that prohibiting ‘distressing’ speech is unlawful and will not withstand legal scrutiny.

We invite those authorities to reconsider urgently and thereby avoid a humiliating climbdown.

Thanet proposes to amend and reintroduce its order – we will be watching closely.”