No Alcohol Disorder Zones set up

Councils have not implemented any 'Alcohol Disorder Zones' (ADZs), a measure that allows local authorities to impose charges on licensed premises to pay for the costs of addressing alcohol-related problems. The 'polluter pays' type power has not been up taken by any councils since they were made statute over 12 months ago, as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006.

The Daily Telegraph reported this as a failing of government to address alcohol-related disorder, but a Home Office spokesman said:

"The fact that there are not any Alcohol Disorder Zones does not suggest that they are not working. Alcohol disorder zones are one of many important tools available to local authorities and police but we have always stressed that they should be used as a last resort."

The Home Office guidance 'A Practical Guide for Dealing with Alcohol Related Problems: What You Need to Know' advises on the use of ADZs and states 'the potential for a zone being declared may be a useful tool to cause licence holders to review their own promotion of the licensing objectives to improve the area before a statutory action plan or order is imposed upon them.'

Drinking Banning Orders (DBOs), brought in under the same legislation, will soon be available as a measure to stop drink-related offenders entering premises. Guidance is due to be released, advising how police or local authorities will need to make applications for DBOs.  Recently one local authority used legislation dating back over a century to prevent a 'habitual' problem drinker from purchasing alcohol (story here). 

Please get in touch if you know of any cases of ADZs or DBOs being used or planned.

However whilst ADZs and Drinking Banning Orders may not yet prove popular, other alcohol-related legislation has been widely used, particularly  'Controlled Drinking Zones', formally known as 'Designated Public Place Orders' (DPPOs). These allow police to confiscate alcohol within the identified area, though are often misinterpreted as a ban on public drinking. Over 600 zones have been introduced since 2003, with some covering whole towns or boroughs.

Comments

[Peter O'Loughlin]

a Home Office spokesman said:
"The fact that there are not any Alcohol Disorder Zones does not suggest that they are not working. Alcohol disorder zones are one of many important tools available to local authorities and police but we have always stressed that they should be used as a last resort."

Um! Is it me, or is there some way that something which does not exist is ‘working’. If ADZs are ‘one of the most important tools available’ can someone explain why they have not been implemented in the same way that car parking laws are so enforced