WIREDGOV

Local areas should be able to limit the opening of late-night pubs, clubs and off licences in areas where alcohol-related health problems are rife.

Excessive alcohol consumption is estimated to cost the NHS around £3.5 billion a year with extra costs falling on cash-strapped councils. In 2010/11 there were 198,900 hospital admissions attributed to alcohol abuse – an increase of 40 per cent in a decade.

Easy access to alcohol, through late night off-licences for example, can exacerbate the problem for those battling addictions or compound existing alcohol related health issues in an area.

The Local Government Association is calling for a new ‘public health' objective to be taken into account when reaching licensing decisions in a bid to tackle the issue. It is also urging the Government to end bizarre rules that prevent councils from acting on warnings from local health experts

Local health experts – under the Police and Social Responsibility Act 2011 – are able to present health-related evidence, such as ambulance call-out data and hospital admissions, to councils ruling on licences.

However, under government rules councils are forced to ignore this advice when considering applications. This is restricting their ability to fulfil their public health responsibilities and protect communities.

Cllr Katie Hall, Chair of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board, said:

"Councils continue to embrace their public health responsibilities to improve the health of their communities. By shifting this responsibility back to councils, the Government has rightly acknowledged they are best-placed to take local decisions for their residents.

"Local health experts have a vital role to play in advising councils on the potential impacts of an application to open new licensed premises. That makes it even more nonsensical that councils are being forced to ignore their advice when considering additional licences they know could be a health hazard.

"The Government needs to see sense and help communities by updating licensing rules and adding a new health objective. This would help improve the health of local areas and also ease the pressure on the nation's stretched health services."

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The Licensing Act 2003 currently has four licensing objectives:

• The prevention of crime and disorder
• Public safety
• Protection of children from harm
• Maintenance of public order

2. The LGA has launched proposals for full reform of the licensing system). Open for Business: Rewiring Licensing, sets out the need for a system which is relevant, simple, cost neutral, risk-based and can address the issues of concern to local residents and businesses.

Greg Burns
Senior Media Relations Officer
Local Government Association
 
Phone: 020 7664 3184
Email: greg.burns@local.gov.uk
Media office (for out of hours contact): 020 7664 3333
Local Government House, Smith Square, London SW1P 3HZ
www.local.gov.uk
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