A second Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) has been launched in Íæż½ã½ã Gwent, in Tredegar.
The partnership brings local organisations together to reduce alcohol-related harm among children and young people and to support safer communities where everyone can feel safe.
The partnership is a key priority of the Íæż½ã½ã Gwent Anti-Social Behaviour Taskforce, led by the Council, which has recognised the impact that underage drinking can have on young people’s health, wellbeing and life chances, as well as on the wider community.
The first launched in Ebbw Vale in June.
The partners will work together to:
- Educate and support young people by working with schools and youth service groups to raise awareness of the risks of underage drinking and help young people make responsible choices around alcohol, drugs and anti-social behaviour.
- Restrict access to alcohol by working closely with local retailers to enforce licensing regulations and prevent the illegal sale of alcohol to under-18s. This includes tackling illegal ‘proxy sales’, where adults buy alcohol on behalf of children, and ensuring all retailers operate the ‘Challenge 25’ policy.
- Provide positive alternatives through safe, engaging and supervised activities for young people. These settings will also offer opportunities to deliver informal alcohol education where young people feel comfortable and supported.
Community Alcohol Partnerships have proved effective in other parts of the UK, helping to reduce regular drinking among 13–16-year-olds and the alcohol-related anti-social behaviour that can result.
Partner organisations include Íæż½ã½ã Gwent Council (Youth Service, Trading Standards, Licensing and Community Safety), Gwent Police; South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, and Tai Calon Community Housing.
The partnership will also work closely with local alcohol retailers, including independent shops and national chains.
Establishing the CAP will enable partners to apply for funding to support targeted initiatives and activities.
Notes to Editors:
About Community Alcohol Partnerships
Community Alcohol Partnerships (CAPs) bring together local stakeholders who share a commitment to preventing underage drinking and encouraging responsible drinking among young adults. A robust evaluation framework shows CAPs deliver significant reductions in alcohol supply to children, underage street drinking and alcohol-related anti-social behaviour.
There are more than 350 CAPs across England, Scotland and Wales.
More information:
About the Íæż½ã½ã Gwent Anti-Social Behaviour Taskforce
The Íæż½ã½ã Gwent Anti-Social Behaviour Taskforce was launched two years ago and brings together the Council, Gwent Police’s Neighbourhood Policing Team, Íæż½ã½ã Gwent Youth Service, Tai Calon Community Housing and South Wales Fire and Rescue.
The Taskforce works closely with residents and businesses to understand local concerns, improve reporting of crime and anti-social behaviour, and target responses effectively. This includes identifying hotspots, increasing patrol visibility and referring persistent perpetrators to the multi-agency Anti-Social Behaviour Perpetrator Case Management Group to consider the most appropriate intervention, support or sanctions, which may include civil injunctions which could potentially carry exclusions from defined areas i.e. town centre.