The Corporate Director of Adult and Community Services introduced the report and stated that consultation from both the public and partners showed a majority support for a Borough-wide Designated Public Places Order (DPPO). The results from the consultation indicated that 94% (49/52) of residents were in favour of a Borough-wide DPPO.
There are currently three DPPOs within the Borough and requests have been made for a further five areas to tackle street drinking. The report therefore proposes that the Council adopts a Borough-wide DPPO.
Councillor Justice welcomed the report and the recommendations and asked whether the Order would cover those designated areas in front of the pubs containing tables and chairs where customers are presently able to drink without any restrictions. He further queried whether there has been a significant reduction in the current three DPPOs areas within the Borough.
The Corporate Director of Adult and Community Services responded that DPPOs are not to be seen as a ban on public drinking everywhere in the Borough, instead they are to be used by Police Officers to address alcohol related disorder proportionately. Experience has shown that the DDPOs that currently exist in three areas have helped in promoting a positive image for the Borough, improved behaviour on the streets and has reduced the level of alcohol consumption.
Councillor Alexander spoke in favour of the proposal and stated that in her role as the Cabinet Member for Safer and Stronger Communities, she actively had supported the implementation of a DPPO in Barking Town Centre and was pleased to see that the Police had successfully secured 1,091 alcohol seizures between May and August 2009. She further stated that a Borough-wide DPPO would clear the public’s confusion of where drinking was authorised and where it was not.
Councillor Denyer stated that although he supported the proposal in principle, he did not feel the results of the consultation were extensive or sufficiently conclusive to warrant imposing a Borough-wide DPPO, especially as there are approximately 400 licensed premises in the Borough, and this Order was being approved on the basis of only 32 licensee’s responses.
Whilst accepting the response to the consultation was relatively small, the Corporate Director of Adult and Community Services explained that the decision to recommend introducing a Borough-wide DPPO was taken in the light of a range of factors, not least the positive affect on the Borough’s crime statistics and the fact that the Police wholeheartedly support its introduction. In her view, the recommendation is based on sound judgement and evidence.
Councillor Bailey felt the proposed introduction of a Borough wide DPPO was an over the top reaction from this Labour Council especially it was this Labour Government who introduced 24 hour drinking leading to cheap accessible alcohol for young people in general.
Councillor Lee Waker, in support of the proposal, stated that the DPPOs in the Village and Eastbrook Wards had proved very popular with the public and had led to a significant reduction in problems of people drinking on the streets and causing general nuisance. He emphasised that the introduction of a DPPO did not automatically mean that people drinking will be prosecuted, but more importantly it would be used by the Police as a tool to address alcohol related anti-social behaviour and disorder.
Councillor Mrs. Hunt commended the report and added that since the introduction of DPPOs, a lot of alcohol related anti-social behaviour had been removed from the once troubled area at Martin’s Corner.
Councillor Little summed up the debate by stating that a Borough-wide DPPO would not be the sole solution to eradicate rowdy drunken anti-social behaviour, but it would help Police Officers in knowing they had reasonable grounds of an offence being caused. It ultimately gives the Police the extra power of dealing with unreasonable behaviour.
The Chair moved that the proposal be put to a recorded vote which was seconded by Councillors Little, Alexander and L Waker.
The proposal was then put to the vote and was agreed as follows:
For: Councillors Agrawal, Alexander, Barns, Carpenter, Collins, Fani, Flint, N Gill, R Gill, Mrs Hunt, Kallar, Little, McDermott, McKenzie, Obasohan, Poulton, Mrs Reason, Mrs Rush, Vincent, L Waker, P. Waker, Mrs West and White
Against: Councillors Bailey, Denyer and Mrs Knight
Abstain: Councillor Justice
Received a report from the Corporate Director of Adult and Community Services on the proposal to introduce a Borough-wide Designated Public Place Order (DPPO) in response to the local community’s concerns regarding alcohol-related problems across the Borough.
Under Section 13(2) of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, local authorities have powers to make areas where alcohol use is a problem a ‘Designated Public Place’ (sometimes referred to as an ‘alcohol control zone’) through the introduction of a DPPO. At present, the Borough has three DPPO’s in place, in Barking Town Centre and around Rainham Road South and Martins Corner in Dagenham. Public concerns have led to a further five areas being identified where this power could be used to tackle street drinking and consultation with partner agencies on the practicalities has led to the proposal for a Borough-wide DPPO. The key reasons are to avoid confusion and aid enforcement by the Police and address Borough-wide concerns which are borne out by the available data on alcohol-related incidents, while also proving to be the most cost-effective option.
The Divisional Director of Community Safety and Neighbourhood Services explained that DPPOs are not a ban on public drinking but are intended to be used to address alcohol-related disorder, whether on the street or in parks, alongside a range of other initiatives. In this latter respect, the Divisional Director confirmed that the Council’s licensing policies are being reviewed to ensure that they are in line with overall objectives.
It was suggested by Members that in order to tackle the nationwide problems associated with alcohol but particularly the issues affecting Barking and Dagenham, the Government should be lobbied to introduce powers for local authorities to ban drinking in public places, which would also go some way to encouraging individuals to use the pubs, clubs and other venues in the Borough which are well managed and intended for such purposes.
Agreed, in order to assist in dealing with alcohol-related disorder and public perception around this issue as well as helping to achieve the Community Priority of a “Safe” borough, to:
(i) Support the proposal for a Borough-wide Designated Public Place Order as detailed in the report;
(ii) Authorise the Corporate Director of Adult and Community Services to undertake the necessary steps in preparation for the making of the Order by the Assembly at its meeting on 24 March 2010;
(iii) Recommend the Assembly that it use its powers under Section 13(2) of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 to make the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham a Designated Public Place; and
(iv) Ask officers to consider how the Council could lobby for new powers which would allow local authorities to ban the drinking of alcohol in public places.