Consultation Over Abortion Clinic 'Buffer Zone' Gets Underway

It runs until 26th March. any changes will be implemented in April

The consultation over the proposed Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) or ' Buffer Zone' outside the Marie Stopes abortion clinic on Mattock Lane is underway. 

The council launched the consultation following claims of harassment and intimidation for women visiting the clinic and also improve the quality of life for residents. 

Pro-life groups have denied the claims and the director of the Good Counsel Network, Clare McCullough, said their members do no more than pray and hand leaflets to women going into the Ealing clinic.  

However in the cross-party meeting of the Home Affairs Committee, held in December, John Hansen-Brevetti,clinical operations manager of the clinic said there are often groups of up to 40 protesters outside and believed 'buffer zones' would 'dramatically better the lives' of patients.

The proposed area is the length and breadth of Mattock Lane and will prohibit within that area people from congregating, displaying images and from approaching or monitoring people accessing the clinic.   

The council is particularly keen to hear the views of people who live, work or visit Mattock Lane or the immediate surrounding areas as well as clinic users and staff.   

Councillor Ranjit Dheer, cabinet member for community services and safety, said: “Our research has shown that the Ealing community would welcome the idea of enforcement action being taken against those committing anti-social behaviour in the area.   

“It is about making sure residents and visitors to the clinic are not harassed and intimidated. In the absence of any alternative form of control emerging, the creation of a PSPO will be considered by the council.”  

PSPOs are designed to discourage anti-social behaviour from happening in an area by barring certain behaviours. If the PSPO is breeched council officers and the police would have additional powers to take enforcement action to tackle anti-social behaviour within the area.

The consultation is open from Monday, 29 January and will finish on Monday, 26 March 2018.
You can share your views about the proposed PSPO here.

If you have any further queries or feedback about the proposed PSPO, please email or call 020 8825 5994.   

Once this consultation has closed, the council will collate all the feedback and review then present to cabinet to decide if a PSPO should be implemented.
If approved, the PSPO will come into effect in April 2018.

30th January 2018