Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“Relevant Background Information

 

      Members will recall that the present alcohol bye-laws regarding the consumption of intoxicating liquor were made by Belfast City Council on 1st February, 2007 and came into operation on 12th September, 2007.  Since this date, there have been numerous requests submitted for further streets and other areas to be considered for inclusion in the schedule to the bye laws.

 

      At Health and Environmental Services Committee on 12th April 2010, the Committee agreed to undertake a review of the streets and areas designated currently within the bye-laws prohibiting the consumption of alcohol in designated streets.

 

      Since this date the following groups and individuals have been consulted:

 

·         Various community groups / general public

 

·         PSNI

 

·         BCC Party Group Leaders

 

·         DPP Members

 

·         BCC Community Safety Team

 

·         BCC Policy Officers Group

 

·         Parks and Leisure (BCC)

 

·         CSP Strategic Tier (Members include Northern Ireland Housing Executive, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Department of Justice- Community Safety Unit, Translink, Belfast City Centre Management, NI Fire and Rescue, Youth Justice Agency, NIACRO, Belfast Education and Library Board, PBNI, Victim Support, NI Ambulance Service, NI Alternatives and Belfast Regeneration Office)

 

Key Issues

 

      Further to this consultation, details of the proposed additional streets to be added to the bye laws are set out in the attached appendix.

 

      Members may wish to note areas of private land to be included within the alcohol bye laws.  These areas have been suggested by the PSNI and permission has been sought from the land owners.  This will allow the PSNI to enforce the alcohol bye laws in respect of over 18 year olds detected drinking intoxicating liquor on these pieces of designated, private land. 

 

      Once the Committee has agreed the additional streets and areas as set out in the appendix, the proposed updated bye laws will be sent to Belfast City Council’s legal services section who will submit the draft bye laws to the Department for Social Development (DSD) for preliminary approval.  If DSD suggest any amendments, these have to be agreed via the Committee. 

 

      Once there is a preliminary agreement with DSD, a report outlining the new draft bye laws, incorporating the additional streets, will then be put before the Committee for adoption and the statutory process for making the bye laws followed, ie:

 

·         A formal Resolution is moved at a full Council meeting;

 

·         A Public Notice is inserted in the press;

 

·         After one month from the date of the notice, an application is made to the DSD for confirmation of the bye laws; and

 

·         The by-laws come into effect.

 

Resource Implications

 

      A public notice is to be placed in local press regarding the making of the new bye laws.  The cost is estimated at £1200 based on previous similar sized notices and will be accommodated within existing revenue estimates. 

 

      There will also be costs associated with the purchase and erection of ‘alcohol free zone’ signs in the areas which are newly designated.  Again, these costs have been included within the 2010/2011 revenue estimates. 

 

Recommendations

 

1.   To consider and approve streets and areas listed in the attached appendix as additional areas to be included within the bye laws regarding consumption of intoxicating liquor in designated places.

 

2.   To authorise the preparation of draft bye-laws and the submission of these to the DSD for approval.

 

Abbreviations

 

DPP  –  District Policing Partnership

CSP  –  Community Safety Partnership

PSNI–  Police Service of Northern Ireland

PBNI–  Probation Board for Northern Ireland

 

Document Attached

 

      Additional areas requested for inclusion within Alcohol Bye?Laws.

 

Streets and Areas to be Considered for Designation

 

North

Ardglen Place (Ardoyne)

Ardoyne Avenue

Arosa Crescent

Bootles Hill

Brompton Park

Brookfield Walk (Ardoyne)

Brougham Street

Butler Walk

Butler Place

Cairnmartin Road

Castleton Avenue

Clifton Courtyard, Oldpark Road

Duncairn Parade

Flax Street

Forthriver Crescent (school grounds are designated but not

   the remainder of the street).

Garmoyle Street

Glencairn Way

Havana Court

Havana Walk

Havana Way

Jamaica Court

Jamaica Road

Jamaica Street

 

Jamaica Way

Kingston Court

Legann Street

Lothair Avenue

Mountainhill Road

OphirGardens

Rutherglen Street

Stanhope Street

St James’ Mews

Somerdale Park

 

South

City Way

FinwoodPark

Kimberly Drive

Lavina Square and Mews, Lower Ormeau

 

East

Ardgowan Street

Bloomfield Parade

Dromore Street

Elmgrove Manor

Elmgrove Road

Euston Parade

Flush Park

Glendower Street

Halcombe Street

Hillsborough Gardens

Knockdene Park South

Lawnmount Street

Maschona Court

Oberon Street

Orangefield Road

Rathmore Street

Reid Street

Sydenham Avenue

TameryPass

Tildarg Street

Titania Street

Willowholme Street

 

West

Ardmonagh Way

Avoca Court

Bellfield Estate

Cairns Street

Coolnasilla Avenue

Coolnasilla Close

Coolnasilla Drive

 

CoolnasillaGardens

CoolnasillaPark North, South and East 

CreesloughPark

Creeslough Walk

CreesloughGardens

Downfine Walk

Glenveagh Drive

GlenveaghPark

Glenties Drive

GlenveaghPark

Gortnamonagh Court

GortnamonaghHeights

Gortnamonagh Place

Gortnamonagh Rise

Gortnamonagh View

Gortnamonagh Way

Hillhead Avenue

Lenadoon Walk

Maple Villas, 2 Sliabh Dubh View

Milltown Cemetery

Monagh Grove

Moyard Crescent

Norfolk Way

Norglen Road

SliabhDubh View

Springfield Mill, Springfield Road

St Peters Square North

Ross Mill Avenue

Ross Mill Court

Tildarg Avenue

Twaddell Avenue

Upper Suffolk Road

Verefoster Walk

Woodbourne Crescent

 

Leisure Centres:

 

      Grounds and car parks of;

 

Andersonstown Leisure Centre

Avoneil Leisure Centre

Ballysillan Leisure Centre

Ozone Complex

Grove Wellbeing Centre

Loughside Recreation

Olympia Leisure Centre

Shankill Leisure Centre

Whiterock Leisure Centre

Multi Sports Complex (Blythefield) Blythe Street

 

Allotments

Musgrave

 

Open Spaces

Britanica Open Space (off Sandy Row)

Cooke Street

Whiterock Road (space at right hand side when driving into

   Whiterock Leisure Centre grounds.

 

Playparks

Eversleigh Street

Grampian Avenue

Lenadoon

Moyard

Navarra, Ballyroney Hill

Nubia Street

Stewart Street

 

Enclosed Parks

Mary Peters Track

 

Other

Balmoral Industrial Estate

Bank Square

Giants Park

Grounds of BelfastCity Hospital

Grounds of Learning and Development Centre, East Bridge Street

Grounds of MaterInfirmorum Hospital

Grounds of RoyalVictoria Hospital

Walkway that runs through the Con O'Neill Park with entrances

   on the Beersbridge Road and Abetta Parade.

Writers Square

Yorkgate Railway Station”

 

            After discussion, the Committee adopted the recommendations and agreed that a letter be forwarded to the Department for Social Development requesting that all areas throughout the City be designated as places prohibiting the consumption of alcohol.