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Senior local government officials have slammed demands for a blanket ban on alcohol in public places as ‘Draconian'. The Local Government Association said a call by Cheshire's chief constable, Peter Fahy, to reverse current regulations, whereby public drinking is legal unless councils vote to ban it, would fail to tackle the ‘root cause' of the problem. But chair of the LGA, Sir Simon Milton, warned that work already being undertaken by councils to clamp down on alcohol-related crime could also be undermined, and councils were best placed to ‘understand, tackle and resolve' local issues. ‘Local authorities have already set up hundreds of controlled drinking zones around the country in recognised problem areas,' he said. ‘It would be absurd to penalise an entire nation because a mindless minority of out-of-control individuals decide to operate outside the law. This sort of Draconian approach could lead to ‘booze burrows' springing up across the country, as more and more drinkers take to drinking away from the public gaze for fear of repercussions.' He called for the removal of the ‘legal gag' banning councillors from voicing their concerns when applications for off-licences go before a licensing committee. James Brokenshire, Conservative home affairs spokesman criticised the Government's introduction of new licensing laws, which had expanded the availability of alcohol, but rejected Mr Fahy's proposals, arguing local communities should be given more power over the operation of licensing. Westminster City Council launched a consultation this week on licensing policies in the area. Despite national reports of increased crime under the new licensing laws, Cllr Audrey Lewis said the council was ‘bucking the trend', thanks to tough local policy and targeted enforcement, and had seen an 11% reduction in late-night violence.

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WHITEHALL

Demands for blanket booze ban slammed

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