Fifteen months after introducing a ban on begging and rough sleeping, the Tauranga Council has voted to scrap the controversial bylaw.
In a six-to-four vote yesterday, the council decided to remove the begging and rough sleeping provisions from the Street Use and Public Places Bylaw, which was brought into force in November 2018.
It was being reviewed because some councillors were concerned about whether it was the most appropriate way of addressing the issues in the city, as well as whether it was defensible under the Bill of Rights Act.
Mayor Tenby Powell says they want their retailers and shoppers to feel safe, with people facing intimation and aggression in previous years.
"But most councillors believe there's a better way to address these issues. In part, that's because police aren't mandated to enforce the bylaw, and council staff don't have the legal powers or training to handle anti-social behaviour," he said after the meeting yesterday.
"Most importantly, though, begging and rough sleeping require more than a tactical, regulatory fix.
"They need a long-term strategic approach, and collaborative action by organisations across the city and the region, with central Government support."
When the council was first considering lifting the ban last year, 12 months after it came into force, there was concern from some members of the community.
Many people feel compassion while others feel intimidated.
Greerton Village Community Association manager Sally Benning told Seven Sharp the bylaw "worked really, really well since it came into force" and businesses would be "devastated" if the law were to be scrapped.
However, Mr Tenby says some of the improvements locals would've seen came not from the begging ban, but other projects and efforts from the council at the same time.
The council says it's looking at better ways to support homeless people and prevent anti-social behaviour, with funding to be considered next week.
The lifting of the ban will come into force next Friday.
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