Sheffield - proposed new 'Alcohol Strategy' 2016 - 2020

Sheffield City Council Cabinet is due to debate the adoption of a new Alcohol Strategy for the city at its meeting on 21 September 2016.  If adopted, the strategy will run from October 2016 until October 2020.

The report prepared for Cabinet sets out the work undertaken by Sheffield Drug and Alcohol Co-ordination Team (DACT) to develop a new alcohol strategy for Sheffield covering this period.

There are various themes to the strategy which include:

“Theme 3 – Licensing, trading standards and the night time economy

Outcomes – a vibrant night time economy which successfully balances economic success with safety and the wellbeing of its users. On-going Best Bar None and Purple Flag schemes, highlighting to the public what Sheffield can offer. Work with licensing and trading standards to reduce under age sales and sales of illicit alcohol. Lower rates of alcohol related anti-social behaviour and a night time economy made up of responsible retailers. This will contribute to the positive offer currently made by the night time economy and hopefully contribute to increased profitability and footfall.

Theme 4 – Alcohol and Crime

Outcomes – Reduced alcohol related crime, increased uptake of criminal justice treatment sentence options, ensuring there are systems in place to recognise the links between alcohol and offending and ensuring where appropriate, that treatment is used as part of the justice process. Links between alcohol and specific kinds of crime to be explored and processes to address put in place”.

Within the detailed action points proposed are the following:

• Explore Cumulative Impact Policy/Zone implementation in Sheffield in response to its evidence base in reducing alcohol related harm and overall population consumption within all appropriate guidance

• Public Health and Licensing applications;  As standard, new licence applications are sent to the LA office of PH. At present there is not standard response / consideration process to ensure all applications are considered fully from a PH point of view. Agree a meaningful protocol through which this can be achieved which is acceptable to both Licensing and Public Health.

• Test purchasing - Under the South Yorkshire Police Test Purchase protocol for multi-agency working, undertake ongoing test purchase operations and intelligence sharing to target high risk retailers selling alcohol to underage individuals or selling illicit/counterfeit alcohol.

The draft strategy (which is likely to be adopted) can be found here: 'Sheffield Alcohol Strategy 2016-2020'