Community Protection Notice and Public Space Protection Orders

Hunts are known for their anti-social behaviour on the roads, in villages and in the countryside. Community Protection Notices (CPNs) and Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) are meant to protect the public from all types of anti-social behaviour. WE WANT MORE CPNs issued to hunts and more PSPOs to limit their behaviour. However, nothing will happen if no one reports the incidents. Watch the video, learn about CPNs and PSPOs, and resolve to record and report everything you see. To find out about the Health and Safety Executive and how to report to them, click here. 

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is Anti-Social Behaviour?
Any behaviour that is persistent and causes disruption or annoyance to members of the public. It does not need to be illegal.

What is a Community Protection Notice?
A CPN is a little bit of law that is issued to an individual, organisation or business to stop them from engaging in a particular sort of anti-social behaviour. For instance: if a hunt continually invades a village and fails to stop their hounds from running in people’s gardens, the local police might issue that hunt with a CPN.

What is a Public Space Protection Order?
A PSPO is a little bit of law that applies to a specific public location. It is issued by the Local Authority and enforced by the the LA and the police. PSPOs often apply to dogs. A PSPO could potentially prevent all hunts from “trail hunting” in any public area in an entire county. They would be forced to “trail hunt” on private land only.

Why is it important to report hunts for anti-social behaviour?
We are usually looking for prosecutions and convictions under the Hunting Act. But evidence is difficult to obtain and the Hunting Act is weak. The legislation for CPNs and PSPOs is “wide-ranging and flexible”, meaning that practically any behaviour that might be anti-social could be considered. We might be able to keep a particular hunt off the roads, for instance, or even get the police to insist that hunt always wears hi vis vests. Hunts are always being accused of anti-social behaviour; if we don’t report them, we are missing a signficant opportunity.

How do we report the anti-social behaviour?
Use 101 or 999 (if there is danger present), or report online. Make sure you use key words: hunt, hounds, huntsman, quadbike, anti-social. If you know the name of the hunt, state it. Also report the incident to the Local Authority. It is for the LA to decide if they will take action, but your report is the starting point. It is for the police and Local Authority to consider whether a CPN or PSPO is appropriate – our job is to report and keep reporting. If it is an incident on a road or railway, also report to the Health and Safety Executive. Help for doing this can be found here.

What are the punishments for failing to obey a CPN or a PSPO?
Fines or even prosecution.

How do we get the police to issue a CPN or the Local Authority to issue a PSPO?
By reporting each and every incident of anti-social behaviour to the police and the Local Authority. If we don’t report them, nothing will happen.

Can we report anonymously?
Yes, the reports can be anonymously.

Can I find help with reporting?
Yes – AAF will help you. Please fill in the CONTACT AAF form below. 

Contact AAF

Please use this form to:

• tell us that you have reported a hunt for anti-social behaviour (of any sort)
• ask us for help with a report
• tell us about a local campaign concerning anti-social hunt behaviour.