The Scrutiny Programme Board had undertaken a Scrutiny Review into the access to alcohol by young people in Wirral, during 2010.  ‘Tackling alcohol harm’ was, at the time, a Priority for Improvement in the Council’s Corporate Plan for 2010/11 and a Corporate Aim for 2008-2013. It had then produced a Report with eleven recommendations.

The Board’s Report had been considered by the Cabinet at its meeting on 17 March 2011 (Minute No. 357 refers) and it had requested the Director of Public Health to be the lead officer for co-ordinating the response of the Council and other Agencies to the Report.

A report by the Director of Public Health set out responses to each of the Board’s eleven recommendations detailed in its Report concerning alcohol availability to young people.  The Board referred to each of the eleven responses and discussed alcohol abuse and underage drinking in detail.  Councillor C Povall informed that a series of leaflets, produced by Wirral Social Workers, dealing with underage drinking and how to approach people to promote safe drinking.  They were so informative that other Councils were considering purchasing these leaflets from Wirral Council.

Members were aware that some shops did sell alcohol to underage drinkers.  They were disappointed that the Director of Public Health had made no mention of the police’s involvement in this in her report.  It was agreed that the Licensing Sergeant had a very important role to play here.

Concerns were raised that alcohol could be purchased by youngsters over the telephone and delivered to the door.

RESOLVED:

That a letter be sent to the Head of Regulation along with a copy of the report, outlining how seriously the Board takes the issue of alcohol and its availability to young people, the reasons for its focus on it, the damage it can do and requesting him to take any appropriate action open to him to discourage its sale to them.