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Birmingham City Council has unveiled drastic plans to ban drunks, aggressive beggars and gangs from the crime-hit city centre.

A six-week consultation will begin tomorrow (March 22) to seek views of the public about a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) being implemented.

If approved, it could herald a major crackdown on groups gathering, anti-social behaviour - including urinating and defecating in public - begging, disorder, drug use and street drinking.

Councillor John Cotton, Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Community Safety and Equalities, at Birmingham City Council said: "Our city is a fantastic place to live in, work in and visit, and I want Birmingham to be a place where people feel safe as they walk around the city centre, enjoying all that it offers, day and night.

(Image: Graham Young / BirminghamLive)

"However, I know that there are vulnerable people in the city centre so this is also about ensuring we get help to those who are struggling, rather than taking punitive measures.

"Our approach is always to offer help to individuals first."

The PSPO will prevent anti-social behaviour within the city centre, from Five Ways and Broad Street to Snow Hill and Digbeth.

If introduced, it will replace the current orders covering Dale End and Eastside areas.

(Image: Handout)

Superintendent Ian Green, from West Midlands Police, said: "We have been working in partnership with other agencies and businesses to improve the environment of the city for all those people who live, work and visit each day.

"Like other cities we experience crime, anti-social behaviour and other social issues, for which police powers are often disproportionate to use.

"The PSPO will allow us to tackle these issues across the city with partners to provide relevant support to individuals using civil powers instead of prosecution."

PSPOs provide the police and the council with additional powers within a defined area to tackle a wide range of anti-social behaviours.

A six-week consultation will involve an online questionnaire, surveys and a series of pop-up sessions at key, central locations – starting on Saturday (March 23) at Birmingham New Street station and Edgbaston Street (near Bull Ring Markets), between 11am and 1pm.

Similar events are also due to be held in St Philip’s Square, the Jewellery Quarter and Southside during this period.

To have your say visit the Birmingham Be Heard website – or attend one of the pop-up city centre sessions.

This consultation closes at midnight on Thursday, May 2.