HAMPSHIRE'S police and crime commissioner will encourage council bosses in the county to follow an authority's lead in banning legal highs from city centres.

Last night City of Lincoln Council agreed to ban the consumption of legal highs in its city centre after an increase in incidents of anti-social behaviour as a result of more people abusing the substances.

The authority will use a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) - a power introduced by the Government last year - to tackle the problem.

Simon Hayes, police and crime commissioner for the Isle of Wight, told the Daily Echo he would support the introduction of any legislation that will protect young people from the dangers of legal highs.

As reported, Mr Hayes backed the Daily Echo's Say No to Legal Highs campaign, which was launched following the deaths of young people in Hampshire as a result of taking the substances.

It calls for tougher laws, for vendors and sellers to be held to account, and tighter controls to stop vulnerable youngsters from being able to buy the products over the counter.

On the back of Lincoln council's action, Mr Hayes said: “I think every little helps.

“I would like to see anything that would protect young people from these poisons.

“I don't think it's the answer to the problem because these substances can be purchased online but it would go some way to sending a message out to young people that these substances are lethal.

Daily Echo: Thirteen parish councils lobbied Hampshire crime commissioner Simon Hayes

Simon Hayes

“I set up regular meetings between the leaders of the four top tier councils. Although we meet quarterly, we are in touch regularly on issues around my agenda and police and crime plan.

“This is something I will probably write to them about to ask for their views, and encourage them to consider it.”

Cllr Simon Letts, leader of Southampton City Council, said he hopes the Government will step in and ban legal highs completely.

Daily Echo: Cllr Simon Letts

Simon Letts

He said: “If you say you cannot take them in one public place, people will go on and use them in another.

“The only solution is national Government to take the initiative.

“It was almost a year ago when we had the issues in Southampton and it's disappointing that the Government has not taken action.

“We will look at what other councils do. Good luck to the council in Lincoln for putting their heads above the parapet but this is a national problem.”

John Denham, MP for Southampton Itchen, below, echoed Cllr Letts' views but said he has not received any warnings of legal high consumption being a problem in Southampton city centre.

Daily Echo: Itchen MP John Denham

He said: “If the police are saying this is a serious public health problem, it's probably something we should look at, but if not it should probably be focused on looking at it on a national level.

“They are dangerous drugs. I think the shift should be towards making the people who will sell them legally responsible for any consequences.

“It's the sort of thing we have to keep campaigning for.”

Sam Barstow, from City of Lincoln Council, said the new powers give the police and the authority the ability to deal with issues associated with on-street consumption of legal highs in a “more flexible way”.