The Community Protection Notice (CPN) is part of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
It can be issued to anyone over the age of 16 and can be used to deal with a wide range of ongoing anti-social behaviour issues or nuisances which are having a detrimental effect on the community’s quality of life by targeting those responsible.
There are three stages to the CPN.
A written warning, known as a Community Protection Warning (CPW) will be issued to you, outlining what action you are required to take or stop within a set time period.
This is an opportunity to modify behaviour without any formal sanctions being taken.
You cannot appeal a Community Protection Warning.
If you fail to take the actions outlined in the Community Protection Warning, a Community Protection Notice (CPN) can be issued to you.
The CPN will give details of what actions you are required to take or stop within a set time period. Failure to comply with the CPN may result in sanctions being taken.
Failure to comply with a Community Protection Notice is a criminal offence. Where an individual, business or organisation fails to comply with the terms of a Community Protection Notice, a number of options are available:
Fixed Penalty Notice - Depending on the behaviour in question, the issuing officer could decide that a fixed penalty notice would be the most appropriate sanction. The fixed penalty for a breach of CPN is £100. See http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/fpn for details on how to pay
Prosecution - If you are prosecuted and convicted the maximum penalty is a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale (currently £2,500); to a fine not exceeding £20,000, in case of a body
Remedial Action - The court may make whatever order the court thinks appropriate for ensuring that what the notice requires to be done is done. n order under this section may in particular require:
Forfeiture/Seizure - The court may require you to surrender possession of any item used in your failure to comply with the Notice to a constable or to a person representing the local authority. The court may require this to be destroyed or disposed of by the police force. A justice of the peace may issue a warrant, authorising a constable or authorised person to enter your premises to seize the item.