Denton Holme and Castle ward City Councillors' have welcomed some crime busting measures proposed for their areas.
Carlisle City Council began a consultation on the introduction of a Designated Public Place Order (DPPO) for the two separate areas last Friday (19 October) and their local city council representatives have passed on their support.
DPPO's create an area where problems of anti-social alcohol drinking in public places can be dealt with by police officers, allowing them powers to confiscate alcohol and even arrest individuals who behave in a disorderly fashion and who fail to response to warnings given. They are applied for by the Local Authority and represent a 'partnership approach' to tackling these issues.
The applications have been put forward following advice from the Carlisle & Eden Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership. They are intended to cover two areas of the city centre and the St James' Park area of Denton Holme. All of these areas have been subject to a recent increase in alcohol related anti-social behaviour.
Carlisle City Cllr Joan Southward, speaking on behalf of all Denton Holme City Councillors said:
We have been approached by a number of residents expressing their concerns about underage drinking within our ward. The same problem has been highlighted at our Joint Neighbourhood Forums. Displacement Orders have worked in other areas of the city and we fully back the same measure being introduced within Denton Holme's problem areas.
We need to nip this problem in the bud, before it gets worse and causes more disruption to our residents. Denton Holme is, on the whole, a safe and nice place to live and hopefully these new powers will help stamp out anti-social behaviour.
Carlisle City Cllr Jim Tootle, speaking on behalf of all Castle City Councillors added:
These measures are designed to ensure the safety of the public, enhance the night time economy, reassure the public and proactively demonstrate this type of behaviour will not be tolerated.
The DPPO's are proposed because of alcohol related disorder. For example the City Centre predominantly covered by Castle Ward, saw a 5% increase in reported anti-social behaviour related incidents between April and July this year, along with 853 alcohol and disorder related incidents, reported between January and September. The new Police powers will work alongside other initiatives that help to create a safer environment for people to enjoy.
Subject to the results of the consultation, it is hoped that the powers will be in force in time for the Christmas period.