Calls for council to be given more powers to tackle public drinking in Flintshire

Calls have been made for a local authority to be given more powers to tackle problems with public drinking. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It follows claims that people consuming alcohol outdoors are adding to the large amount of litter being dumped in Flintshire by discarding cans and bottles. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The number of reported cases of littering in the county jumped by more than 200 per cent in the last financial year to 424, compared to 137 the previous year. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Flintshire Council officials said it matched a UK-wide trend, with most areas witnessing a sharp increase during the Covid-19 pandemic. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The whole of Flintshire is already covered by a designated public places order which restricts anti-social drinking. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

However, questions have been raised over whether North Wales Police, which is responsible for ensuring the rules are followed, has enough officers available to enforce them. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Raising the issue at meeting held yesterday (Tuesday, 8 June), Cllr David Evans, who represents the east area of Shotton, said: “We do have a lot of litter along the Deeside strip where people congregate and throw cans and bottles into the undergrowth. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Sometimes it’s public land, sometimes private land and we put the enforcement down to the police. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Unfortunately, whether the police haven’t got the manpower, I have little faith that they can do that enforcement for us. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The question is, can we look to take responsibility for enforcement on drinking alcohol in public places?” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The Labour councillor suggested the possibility should be raised with the Welsh Government. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Members of the council’s environment and economy scrutiny committee were told it was an issue the authority had no responsibility for at present. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

However, officials said it was an option which could be considered in the long term. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Ruth Cartwright, regulatory services manager in waste management, said: “We’ve not explored the option of doing it in-house however if it is a significant issue then it’s something that we need to look at. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“From the point of view of people drinking and then throwing those items on the floor and littering, that is a responsibility within the local authority so we can deal with that. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The idea is to prevent it from happening in the first place though, so if that’s the recommendation then we can bring something back further once we’ve investigated that a little bit deeper.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Buckley councillor Dennis Hutchinson said residents had also raised complaints with him over public drinking, but praised the action taken by police. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He said: “We’re in the silly season now where everybody, particularly young people, are congregating in areas across the county.
“I had a situation two or three weeks ago where I had a magnificent response from the police. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I made the call on behalf of residents who were very concerned about foul and abusive language. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I had a superb response and even had feedback 24 hours later from the officer who dealt with it.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Despite the praise, the committee voted in favour of tasking officers to check whether the council could take over the responsibility for enforcement at the end of the discussion. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here). ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Feature image: Plymouth council ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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