Reviews of Designated Public Place Orders suspended

All reviews of Designated Public Place Orders in Bromsgrove District were suspended last week to allow public awareness of the issues to be raised.

After considering consultation responses to ongoing reviews of Designated Public Place Orders (DPPOs) at the January 5 meeting of Bromsgrove District Council’s Licensing Committee, Councillors agreed that the amount of misunderstandings in the responses required the process to be suspended while public awareness is raised.

Councillors decided that the review process, including consultation, will resume after Council officers carry out work to explain the purpose and conditions of DPPOs.

Licensing Committee Chairman Cllr Rita Dent said: “The Committee was concerned that for the public to be effectively involved in these reviews some misunderstandings have to be cleared up first.

“For example, we saw DPPOs commonly referred to as ‘alcohol free’ areas, we saw them referred to as being a ban on alcohol, and some believed them to be necessary in order to tackle youth related anti-social behaviour. As none of these things are actually true, we need to raise awareness of the issues in order for residents’ views to be effective in the consultation.”

District Council officers are now expected to release a comprehensive guide to DPPOs by the end of the month (January).

The Committee also noted that updated signage will clarify that powers can be properly exercised in DPPO areas where the police are required to deal with adults drinking and behaving in an anti social manner.