OXFORD City Council has delayed a decision at the 11th hour over a plan which would “criminalise homelessness” following an intervention by human rights group Liberty.

The council was scheduled to make a decision as to whether or not to introduce a city centre Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) at a meeting of its executive board on Thursday night. If given the green light, the order will ban sleeping in public toilets and “persistent begging” — defined by the authority as begging “on more than one occasion.”

The PSPO would give council officers the power to issue on-the-spot penalties of up to £100. If those in breach are unable to pay, they would face prosecution and a fine of £1,000. Liberty contacted the authority on Thursday arguing that the introduction of a PSPO would be a breach of equality and human rights law.

And a spokesman for the authority confirmed to the Star that council leader Bob Price had now asked officers to withdraw the report so consideration can be given to the legal opinion provided by Liberty.

Cllr Price said a further report would be brought back to the executive, but only when the council is confident that relevant concerns have been properly addressed. The spokesman said: “We received Liberty’s comments this morning and it is responsible of us to take the proper time to consider the use of these new powers and what Liberty has to say. “Oxford City Council has been at the forefront of the national debate on PSPOs. We have been trying to balance the very real problems of nuisance behaviour in our city centre with the rights of individuals.”

Hackney Council was forced to shelve plans to “ban” rough sleepers from the borough last week after news that homeless people would be included on its PSPO caused a public outcry.