D-Day: Plan to tackle under-age drinking

TV and and radio programme makers are in the sights of local councillors, worried about the effect of alcohol and drinking portrayed in films, on TV and in advertisements.

A Select Committee has spent a year taking evidence and coming up with strategies to tackle the epidemic of underage drinking in Oldham, and says police, councils, courts and parents also have their part to play.

The Evening Chronicle’s Janice Barker spoke to the chairman, Councillor Keith Pendlebury, about their action plan.

Trawling the Chronicle archives over the last year, there is no doubt that under—age drinking is a big problem in Oldham.

One in every three police cautions for alcohol-induced bad behaviour is given to a child under 15; a major crackdown, Operation Owl, which ran for a month and took neat bottles of spirits off children; and 27 test purchases by Trading Standards where children were served alcohol in supermarkets and off licences.

A survey found 15 per cent of Oldham teenagers under 15 admitted frequently taking alcohol — among the highest in the North-West.

Now a panel of councillors and their advisers has drawn up a 21-point report calling for a variety of strategies to tackle the problem. The report’s roots are in concerns at Area Committees about problems caused by young people drinking in public places and causing a nuisance.

Today, it will be considered by the Cabinet at Oldham Council.

The recommendations range from the straightforward — such as writing to the Advertising Standards Authority to ask for tougher controls on drink adverts — to more complex, such as training 999 staff, social workers, teachers and health visitors to identify alcohol misuse.

Its chairman, Councillor Keith Pendlebury, says if the report is accepted, he hopes any recommendations that will cost nothing will be implemented straight away.

They include lobbying for more police powers to disperse young people from incidents involving alcohol, and for stronger licensing laws to deal with incidents involving young people drinking alcohol in public places.

Other suggestions include: alcohol adverts not glamourising drinks or aiming them at young people; TV programmes which include drinking should also feature details of safe daily alcohol units and Government departments should research whether young people understand alcohol campaigns.

Regional media and radio stations in Greater Manchester could air messages about damage caused by alcohol.

Councillor Pendlebury said evidence to the committee included parents seen dropping their children off with drinks to meet up with their mates on Friday nights.

He added: “Some parents were appropriately shocked when their children were returned home by police because they had been drinking under age.

“But in some instances parents were saying ‘Why have you brought him home?’ and the child was found again later, having been taken back to his/her mates.”

More work targeting parents is called for, but that may cost money. So would introducing more educational activities in schools, such as drama and plays, to raise awareness among young people.

Another idea is to turn an empty pub into a community and youth centre, which has been done in other parts of the country.

Councillor Pendlebury said: “We have plenty of empty pubs and they used to be community hubs — why can’t they still be community hubs?”

More organised activities for young people such as rock climbing, hill walking, drama, music and art, combined with extended use of council buildings such as schools, and leisure centres, at times suitable for young people’s activities, are also suggested.

But the panel also called for talks with local bus companies about subsidised or free travel, at similar times.

Councillor Pendlebury said: “This came out of talks with the Youth Council. They pointed out that to travel into Oldham for activities, such as the sports centre’s, and having to pay both ways, might cost £15 altogether for a night out for a16 or 17-year-old, which is quite hefty for someone who is not working. Why can’t travel for youngsters be subsidised?”

While most parents want to protect and support their children, there are others, the report suggests, whose own behaviour is a problem.

The Select Committee wants more use made of Parenting Orders, which are given by courts after children have been in trouble with the police.

These usually mean parents attending counselling and training courses for three months.

Better advertising of youth activities, in places where young people meet or attend daily, could also help, Councillor Pendlebury added: “The youngsters themselves said they don’t always know what is available.

“Some say ‘There’s nothing much to do,’ when there are quite a lot of things going on but they are not terribly well publicised. We need to get the message across better and go to where the youngsters get together.”

A major concern is that under-age drinking is having a serious effect on youngsters’ health, not just their physical health, he said, but leaving them exposed to sexual health problems, and teenage pregnancies, as well as the danger of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders and causing vandalism, abuse and nuisance.

As well as consulting schools on making health education part of the timetable from an early age, NHS Oldham could be called on to commission alcohol services, similar to those provided for drugs.

And the council should think small — not just huge regeneration schemes for cinemas and bowling alleys, which have failed to come to fruition he says.

He added: “Small scale schemes should happen more — we do have local initiatives such as multi-use games areas, and skateboard parks.”

The report has come full circle as Area Committees are being invited to look at regeneration plans in their area to make sure they include leisure activities for young people.

Councillor Pendlebury said: “Where there are cost implications, perhaps we also have to think about if we don’t do it, what will be the cost not just to youngsters, but to the community of Oldham and the council itself?”