A permanent alcohol ban in Te Puke's town centre is the key change in tighter alcohol control rules being proposed by Western Bay of Plenty District Council.
Public consultation on Council's draft Alcohol Control Bylaw is open from today until May 13.
Tighter rules about alcohol are being proposed for Te Puke.
The draft bylaw includes a proposal to place an alcohol ban in Te Puke's town centre, replicating what is already in place in Waihi Beach and Katikati.
Te Puke District Councillor Kevin Marsh is urging people to support the proposal for an alcohol ban in Te Puke.
In late 2015 Kevin, the Te Puke Community Board and Police asked Council to consider an alcohol free zone in Te Puke to enable greater control over excessive drinking and disorderly behaviour by a small core of offenders in the town.
Their request prompted a review of the District's Alcohol Control Bylaw.
Council believes there is enough evidence to justify a ban in all three townships after considering crime statistics from the Police and following support from the majority of people who took part in a public online survey earlier this year.
Kevin welcomes the proposed changes in the revised bylaw.
'Early support by businesses, local groups, the Community Board and Police has been essential in getting this bylaw reviewed. It is now in the hands of the community.
'Te Puke is doing its best to become a shopping destination – so getting this disorderly element out of town is critical if our town wants to be appealing to visitors and residents alike,” says Kevin.
'The bylaw gives the police greater power to stop this behaviour in our town.”
Under the bylaw, anyone found to be in possession of, or consuming alcohol within one of the ban zones will be liable for a fine.
The Draft Bylaw will be out for feedback until 13 May 2016.
You can give feedback at http://haveyoursay.westernbay.govt.nz/alcohol-ban-review or by visiting one of Council's libraries or service centres.
Have Your Say days will be held across the District from June 13.
Council will consider all feedback received before it adopts the final bylaw, to come into effect on October 1.
Other issues included in the new bylaw include enabling temporary bans for specific events; clarifying Council's approach to BYO events and provision of exemptions for outdoor areas linked to a licensed premise or event within the alcohol ban areas.
3 comments
waste
Posted on 13-04-2016 09:52 | By Capt_Kaveman
of time, the same thing is in place in Willow st bus area and just go have a look any day of the week
The police already have the powers
Posted on 13-04-2016 10:41 | By Annalist
The powers to arrest the drunk and disorderly. The real question is why don't they use those powers? I thinks it's the softly softly PC approach that has crept into policing. I also note that under the bylaw anyone drinking will be "liable" for a fine. Why not say "will" be fined?
seesee
Posted on 13-04-2016 13:20 | By SeeSee
All this talk of having a booze ban in central te-puke makes me laugh, especially as how the very same council allowed not only the unnecessary number of grog shops, but for them to be open seven days of the week, virtually all hours
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