Partial Closure Order for Shepherd's Bush Green

Local Police Officers with copies of the PCO

On 22 November local police attended Westminster Magistrates Court to secure a "Partial Closure Order" (PCO) of Shepherds Bush Green.

The PCO includes a number surrounding streets, notably the "Caxton Village" area north of Shepherd's Bush Green, which has been the scene of considerable anti-social behaviour in recent months.

The PCO took effect from yesterday, Monday November 28, and lasts for three months, until 27 February 2023.

Partial Closure Order

What does this mean? A Partial Closure Order is a statutory device created by the 2014 Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, giving the police expanded powers to limit access to certain premises - or, in this case, Shepherd's Bush Green. 

The police have extra powers to move people on, and limit the anti-social behaviour which has become so common in our neighbourhood in recent years and months.  At a meeting of our local Ward Panel last night, police explained what the PCO involved, and handed out copies of the leaflet below.

28 November to 27 February 2023

Can Shepherd's Bush Green Be Improved?

The PCO lasts from 28 November to 27 February, and is a response to long-standing concerns over anti-social behaviour on Shepherd's Bush Green. 

Our local police officers described the securing of the PCO as a "massive amount of work", which they hope will lead to a better environment for local residents. 

FOSBG Statement

Jonathan Pearl, Chair of the Friends of Shepherd's Bush Green, welcomed the PCO, arguing that Caxton Village have "suffered sky-high levels of ASB for a number of months now", and expressed "huge gratitude to the Safer Neighbourhood Teams of Met Police dealing with the Green and surrounding areas".

Local Concerns

Public drinking in Caxton Village

Overall, the response of local residents at the meeting was positive, though some expressed concerns that moving people on from Shepherd's Bush Green and Caxton Village would only make trouble for other neighbourhood streets, such as Macfarlane Rd and Minford Gardens.  

Breaking the Cycle

The police response to this was that the PCO was designed to break the long-standing cycle of anti-social behaviour, and that by securing a PCO the police could at last make a concerted effort to clean up our neighbourhood.

Let us hope that they are successful.

The Shepherd's Bush Blog offers a personal view on life in Shepherd's Bush. If you would like to contribute a story, email us at shepherdsbushblog(at)gmail.com. And don't forget to add your opinion in the comments section below.