Strategy to combat alcohol harm

TOWN Hall licensing chiefs at Warrington are to be asked to endorse a three-year alcohol harm reduction strategy for the borough.
Its aims are to change attitudes to drinking among those at risk, to reduce the impact of alcohol misuse on communities, the reduce harm to health and to combat the impact of alcohol misuse on the family structure.
A report to be considered by the borough council’s licensing committee warns that a failure to implement the strategy could lead to unacceptable risks to local communities.
Cllr Pat Wright (pictured), the council’s executive member for health and well-being said much had already been done in Warrington to reduce harm associated with alcohol misuse, but more needed to be done.
She said: “The challenge for organisations and partnerships in Warrington is to further strengthen joint working in order to provide a comprehensive range of care pathways and interventions that enable people to receive the help they need.
“This will not be easy as alcohol misuse affects many aspects of life in Warrington, ranging from education attainment to sexually transmitted infections, accidental injury among older people to violent disorder in the night-time economy.”
It is estimated that alcohol cost Warrington £74.87 million in 2010/11 – the equivalent of £376 per head of population, taking into account health, crime, licensing, the workforce, economic and social costs.
This is lower than the national average of £387 per head and the North West average of £439 per head.
Cllr Wright said the availability of alcohol to the wrong people, or in the wrong context, was a source of public concerns and the cause of health and public order problems. It was essential to deal with the health problems and anti-social behaviour arising from “binge” drinking and chronic overuse of alcohol by young people and adults.
“Fortunately there is a real enthusiasm and genuine commitment across organisations and partnerships in Warrington to advance the alcohol harm reduction agenda and engage in mutually beneficial programmes of intervention.
“By working together, we can all actively promote sensible drinking, lessen the harms and help make Warrington a safer and healthier place to live.”