Time to sober up

Late-night Oldham clubgoers

COUNCIL chiefs have launched their strategy to reduce alcohol-related crime and injury.

The strategy claims booze is a scourge as detrimental to society as drug taking.

Oldham Council’s plan includes banning drinking at trouble hotspots, mapping pubs and clubs to control their spread, and educational projects to warn of the dangers of alcohol.

Alcohol consumption in Oldham causes significant harm to individuals — through illness, accidents, anti-social behaviour — and to the public sector in health and social care services, as well as emergency services, according to director of health, Alan Higgins.

Extended opening hours have given police problems with people drunk and disorderly on the streets as late as 4am-5am. Police also raised concerns over youths giving drinks to underage girls and possible sexual exploitation.

The council’s plan will be heard at a cabinet meeting tonight. The principal aim is to cover the town with a “Designated Public Place Order”, making it an offence to drink alcohol when requested not to by police. Police would also be able to confiscate alcohol and arrest anyone who failed to comply with the request to stop drinking.

The council also proposes a project to offer counselling sessions to offenders as an alternative to fines and custody.

Councillor Phil Harrison said: “We’ve got to put alcohol on a level playing field with drugs. For too long alcohol has been a bad situation in Oldham. People don’t want to talk about it but it’s a massive cost issue in the health service.”

New Late Night Levy regulations come into force next Wednesday and allow councils to charge a new tax on pubs, off-licences and other businesses selling alcohol between midnight and 6am.


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