Plans To End Street Drinking In Roehampton
Council & police unveil plan to tackle anti-social drinking
Wandsworth Council and local police are together proposing to apply for a Designated Public Place Order (DPPO), which will make outside public spaces in Roehampton and Putney Heath ward alcohol free areas.
It is hoped the joint application, due to be submitted later this month, will be warmly welcomed by residents and businesses in the area - some of whom have complained of intimidation by problem drinkers on the estates.
The move would enable constables and police community support officers to confiscate alcohol from people caught drinking in the designated public places should they refuse to stop.
Those ignoring such requests could be given an on-the spot fine or face arrest and prosecution in the magistrates court.
Under the proposal, drugs and alcohol outreach workers will make further efforts to engage with the 35 or so street drinkers on the Alton and Putney Vale estates to provide support and divert them into treatment.
The DPPO would cover the whole of the ward, including hotspots such as Danebury Avenue , Portswood Place and Putney Vale, to deter the problem drinkers from simply relocating to another spot nearby.
Councillor Paul Ellis, Wandsworth's housing spokesman, said: "The council's housing officers and the local police safer neighbourhood team listened to concerns from residents and businesses about street drinkers and have since been hard at work delivering this proposal. We plan to support this approach through the rigorous enforcement of tenancy conditions for those who behave anti-socially and thereby breach their tenancy agreement."
Councillor Jonathan Cook, the council's community safety spokesman, added: "It is only right that residents and local businesses be granted a reprieve from the problems caused by this type of anti-social behaviour. At the same time we will of course be doing our best to get these people the help they may need by enrolling them in alcohol treatment programmes."
Cllr Peter Carpenter told PutneySW15.com: "‘Putney Labour Party has been campaigning for an Alcohol Free Zone in Roehampton for several years, but until now our pleas on behalf of Roehampton Residents have fallen on deaf ears. We welcome the belated conversion of Tory councillors Paul Ellis and Jonathan Cook to our cause."
A DPPO is contained in The Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 and designed to tackle nuisance and annoyance caused by the consumption of alcohol in public places.
Wandsworth Council recently embarked on an ambitious project to regenerate the Alton West area of Roehampton. Last summer, the council held a consultation in which residents in the area were asked what they like, dislike and want to see change on their estate.
This consultation marked the first step in considering what could be done to improve the area, including the town centre, for the benefit of residents, businesses and visitors over the coming several years.
As part of the project, a process is underway to appoint an established firm to develop a masterplan for the future of the physical environment in the Alton West area.
The views and thoughts of local residents and other local stakeholders will support the development of the masterplan, which will set out a detailed, long-term vision for the area. The creation of the masterplan is expected to start in late spring/early summer, this year.
If you'd like to be involved in further discussion, email roehampton@wandsworth.gov.uk. To learn more about the project so far visit www.wandsworth.gov.uk/roehampton.
February 14, 2013