Overview

• The council cabinet approved the PSPO on 24 July, targeting antisocial behaviour in Margate, Ramsgate, Birchington and Broadstairs following local consultations.
• It bans foul or abusive language only when it causes harassment, alarm or distress, explicitly preserving casual swearing and lawful protest.
• Officers will give first-time warnings to offenders and may issue fines up to £100 for repeated violations under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
• Media claims of a blanket swearing ban prompted councillors to clarify that peaceful protests and casual expletives remain unaffected by the order.
• The new ordinance builds on a 2018 PSPO and mirrors similar measures in other Kent districts after last year’s threatened Free Speech Union legal challenge.