HAVE YOUR SAY ON ANTI-SOCIAL STREET DRINKING BAN

15/02/06

Residents, workers and visitors to Camden, North London, are being asked for their views on plans to introduce a borough-wide Controlled Drinking Zone (CDZ). Under the proposals, anti-social drinkers on the streets of the London Borough of Camden could have their alcohol confiscated by the police. Hard-core street drinkers will also be helped to take up support services.

Councillors agreed to work-up plans for a zone to ban anti-social street drinking covering the whole borough in January 2006. Members of the public are now being asked for their views. The decision followed a report on a year-long pilot scheme that showed benefits for both street drinkers and the community. An evaluation of the scheme showed a large reduction in street drinking on both streets and estates, as well as a high increase in long-term street drinkers accessing help and housing.

The proposals for a borough-wide scheme allow the police to use their discretion to take alcohol away from people drinking on the streets, and throw the alcohol away. The CDZ would give the police this extra power to help prevent and diffuse alcohol-related trouble on the streets. Alongside the police action, council-run support services will be available to help long-term street drinkers get help and support to combat their alcohol misuse problems.

The zone would not cover Hampstead Heath, which is run by the Corporation of London.

Members of the public can submit their views at www.camdensafe.org in writing or by email to Tony Brooks, Head of Community Safety at Camden Council, anthony.brooks@camden.gov.uk until 20 March 2006.

Cllr Jake Sumner, Executive Member for Community Safety, Camden Council said:

“The community have told us that they don’t want aggressive drinking on the streets. We agree and this proposal will give the police the power to confiscate alcohol from aggressive and anti-social street drinkers.

“After looking at all the options, we’re interested in finding out what members of the public think about a zone that would tackle anti-social street drinking across the borough. The pilot CDZ focussed on hardened street drinkers. The proposed borough-wide scheme could be applied to all people causing problems by drinking on the street.

“This initiative is never intended to eradicate all street drinking but it could be another useful resource for the police to use to meet the demands of the community.”

The pilot CDZ was based in and around Camden Town, NW1, for a year from November 2004. Camden Council agreed to make the pilot CDZ in Camden Town a permanent feature in January this year, after the pilot scheme showed overwhelming support from the community and businesses.

Under the pilot scheme, police officers were given a discretionary power to remove alcohol from street drinkers drinking on the streets in the zone. Camden Council gave an additional £35,000 from the government’s Liveability fund towards funding a wet service to provide extra support and advice to help street drinkers break the cycle of alcohol dependency.

Cllr Sumner added: “The results of the pilot show that some of the street drinkers with real entrenched problems in Camden Town are not beyond help and can change their behaviour for the benefit of all.”

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