by Ewan Turney
Further alarming evidence of the Government's disregard for the concerns of police and councils over alcohol disorder zones (ADZ) has been uncovered by the Morning Advertiser in consultation responses placed in the public domain a fortnight ago.
A thorough examination of the consultation responses stretching to 14,000 pages reveals that many police and local councils told the Government that ADZs are a 'fundamentally flawed, 'extremely bureaucratic, and 'gimmicky measure.
Greater Manchester police said that the proposals would 'have a negative effect on the relationship between police, local authority and the licensing trade as a whole.
Councils pleaded for the Government to let it exercise its new powers under the Licensing Act before passing judgment on their effectiveness.
Councils will have more powers than ever before and will be able to, amongst others, change the conditions of a licence, suspend a licence for three months or even revoke the licence entirely.
'These powers are not yet effective and nothing exists under the current licensing regime, therefore it is too soon to discount them as inadequate, said Islington council.
'The ADZs do not add anything to our abilities to act.
Many of the respondents felt that the short consultation period of five weeks under half the recommended 12 weeks further proved the proposals were a 'kneejerk response to growing criticism at the start of this year of the Government's plans to liberalise licensing laws.
The Small Business Council, which works closely with policy makers on behalf of small businesses, slammed the consultation document as 'little more than a tick box exercise with no alternatives being offered.
South Yorkshire police told the Government that 'it would be discriminatory to treat all establishments the same when not all would be responsible for the problems caused.
In a damning consultation response, Bar Entertainment & Dance Association chief executive Jon Collins said: 'ADZs threaten to shift police-industry relations away from partnership and communication towards mutual mistrust, with operators having little incentive to support the police if all venues good, bad and indifferent end up writing a cheque.
What respondents had to say
Brighton & Hove council
'One of the aims of the Licensing Act 2003 was to promote tourism. The creation of ADZs could be counter productive to this aim.
Barnsley Environmental Services, executive director Geoff Birkett
'They seem a bit gimmicky to me.
Civic Trust
'In the long term they could cause friction between the business community and the local authority.
Suffolk Constabulary
'I am concerned that this might be an extremely bureaucratic process.
Small Business Council
'It appears to the Small Business Council that these proposals are going to be rushed through on a kneejerk political whim, rather than being properly thought through and evaluated, completely flying in the face of the Government's very public pledges on better regulation.
South Yorkshire police
'It would be discriminatory to treat all establishments the same when not all would be responsible for the problems caused.
Cheshire Constabulary
'I have to say that I think the proposed approach for the setting up of alcohol disorder zones is fundamentally flawed.