By Andy Balfour and Local Democracy Reporter,Andy Balfour, Local Democracy Reporter

Copyright northernirelandworld

At September’s Environmental Services Committee meeting, members were asked to approve a council response to a recent joint public consultation by The Department for Communities (DfC) and Department of Justice (DoJ), around changes to drinking in public byelaws and powers. The consultation sought council’s views on designated areas where public drinking is prohibited and what powers should be provided, to both police and council officers, to seize alcohol or issue Fixed Penalty Notices to anyone who refuses to surrender alcohol. Causeway Coast and Glens Council’s response said: “Councils are currently facing increasing demands on resources and such an additional burden will have an effect on already overstretched departments. “Councils will find it extremely difficult to absorb additional responsibilities that have traditionally been other organisations’ responsibility. “The council also notes an increasing trend towards calling on councils to take on additional responsibilities without providing any form of resourcing. “The council has grave concerns regarding officer safety while engaging in confrontational work involving intoxicated individuals and crowds. “Council officers do not have the training, have no powers of detention or experience to carry out such work whereas the police are much better placed to do so. “Given the nature of public drinking enforcement, which may involve intoxicated crowds and the potential for anti-social behaviour or public disorder, council is firmly of the view that this matter falls inherently within the remit of the PSNI.”