Hounslow Council got public support for boroughwide scheme
Police will have the power to confiscate alcohol from people drinking in public who are acting in an anti-social manner, following public support for a Council plan to introduce Controlled Drinking Zones (CDZ) in the borough.
A pilot scheme introduced in Hounslow town centre has been successful. Hounslow police said there were 12, 078 incidents of drink-related anti-social behaviour between 1 October 2011 to 30 September 2012, and said since reinforcing the CDZ in Hounslow High Street they have seen a drop in anti-social behaviour reports of around 42% between April 2012 and December 2013.
The Council say this does not restrict people having a few drinks in the park while having a picnic but is aimed at 'nuisance' drinkers.
Over 90% of respondents to Hounslow’s consultation on a borough-wide controlled drinking zone (CDZ) gave the plans the thumbs up. Although public drinking will not be banned, police will have power to confiscate alcohol from antisocial drinkers throughout the borough with fines of up to £500.
Councillor Ed Mayne hailed the response as ‘overwhelming’. He said: “This overwhelming response means residents are saying loud and clear that they want to banish drink-fuelled anti-social behaviour from the streets of Hounslow.”
Outcomes from the consultation included:
Cllr Mayne said: “This new policy is not about penalising responsible drinkers who are having a few drinks with their picnic in a park. This is about standing up on behalf of decent law-abiding residents and clamping down on nuisance drinkers and drunks.”
Chief Inspector Rob Weir added: “Tackling anti-social behaviour and drink-related violence is a key priority for the police, having listened to the concerns of local residents during the consultation. Crime is falling in Hounslow and the creation of the CDZ will provide police with a tool to further drive down anti-social behaviour and violence.”
June 19, 2013