Tighter regulations are being planned to tackle anti-social behaviour including illegal camping on beaches, open fires in woods and heathland and problem drinking in public.

A public consultation will get underway later this month on the Dorset Council proposals to change existing local Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs).

The orders currently cover two areas, West Dorset and Weymouth and Portland, but in future will be set at town level for Weymouth, Dorchester, Portland, Bridport, West Bay and Lyme Regis.

For most of those towns some changes are being proposed to existing orders, which run out next year.

In Bridport and Lyme Regis new areas will be added where drink orders are in place; in Dorchester feeding gulls will be added to the existing order; in Weymouth Radipole Park Gardens will be added to existing orders which tackle begging and cycling on the promenade and feeding gulls, and what is known as a 'gating order' made for Trinity Passage, by the town bridge.

Portland's current orders are likely to remain as they are.

In all the six towns a new dispersal order is being proposed where if people being anti-social are asked to move on and fail to do so they will be committing an offence and could be fined.

The new orders may also give powers to town council staff and other officials and, in the wooded areas of the county, to the Forestry Commission team, or Rangers to deal with open fires and barbecues.

Dorset councillors have been told that not all local beaches would be covered by the illegal camping provision – although Weymouth, Chesil and Lulworth beaches will be. Currently only West Bexington has any legislation in place, using a local by-law, but only for a small area.

The council's place and resources committee was told that the public consultation is expected to start on November 18 and run until January 13.

Committee chairman, Cllr Les Fry, said the orders were designed to be 'light touch' rather than a 'heavy hand' and would not stop any legal activity – provided it was not causing a nuisance, or risk, to others.

Said portfolio holder for public safety Cllr Laura Miller : "Nobody wants to spoil anybody's fun but it's about having the tools we need, should we need them."

The committee heard that the proposal for Trinity Passage in Weymouth was to put up gates to close the area off after problems over a number of years with people using the area as a toilet, litter and rough sleeping. An alternative public path is available.

Legislation currently allows for breaches of a public spaces protection order to be dealt with by a £100 fixed penalty fine or prosecution in the magistrate's court.

Persistent offenders can have a Criminal Behaviour Order imposed on them.

Of the towns with PSPO orders only Weymouth has a Community Safety Patrol Service, four staff funded by Dorset Council, Weymouth Town Council, British Transport Police, Weymouth BID and the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner. They are accredited by Dorset Police and have limited police powers.