A public drinking ban across the whole of Slough looks set to be approved this evening – as council leaders meet to consider the proposals.

Plans for a ‘public space protection order’ (PSPO) would give police and council officers the powers to stop drinking in public.

Council plans say that without the ban it is ‘inevitable’ that antisocial behaviour will continue.

The plans say: “Without a borough wide PSPO, it is considered inevitable that the behaviours that need to be addressed will persist causing harm to the area, the community’s confidence in the authorities tasked to protect them from such anti social behaviour and the potential loss of confidence in using the defined public space for their lawful business or recreation.”

Under the proposed new rules ‘the consumption of alcohol or being in possession of an open container that is reasonably believed to contain alcohol’ would be prohibited.

It would also be an offence to stop drinking alcohol or to refuse to hand alcohol over to police or authorised officers when asked.

People who break the order could be issued a fine of £100 – or even convicted of a criminal offence if they fail to pay.

Slough Borough Council’s cabinet – its group of leading councillors – are set to debate and vote on whether to bring in the ban on Monday, 17 June. Council officers are recommending that they approve it, making it likely that the ban will go ahead.