Community initiative to launch in Selby

The Selby district is set to benefit from the launch of a new initiative to cut down on underage drinking and alcohol-related crime.

The Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) has launched today (Monday 4 April 2022). Police will work with local authorities, schools, retailers, neighbourhood groups and health providers. The partner agencies will use education and enforcement to reduce anti-social behaviour.

Local school children will take part in an open and honest discussion to highlight the health risks and vulnerabilities associated with alcohol.

Police officers will work with trading standards to visit licensed premises. Specialist operations such as “test purchasing” will be used to identify and deal with retailers that are breaking the law.

The public are invited to give their views on what the priorities should be for the Selby CAP. North Yorkshire Police has launched a public survey so it can understand local people’s views on alcohol related anti-social behaviour across the district. A link to this survey can be found at here. The survey will close on Monday 2 May 2022.

Partners in the CAP include Selby Neighbourhood Policing Team, North Yorkshire Police, Zoe Metcalfe, the Police and Fire Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire, Selby District Council, Licensing and Trading Standards, schools, retailers and the local community. The first in person CAP meeting for the Selby partners will take place on Wednesday 11 May 2022.

Senior Commander for York and Selby, Superintendent Mark Khan said:

“Partnership working is high on my agenda, so I am delighted to see the long list of local stakeholders that have supported the launch of the Selby CAP.

“Community alcohol partnerships have proved hugely successful in other areas, and I am confident that the same level of success will be seen across the Selby District. The CAP will assist us in one of our main priority areas which is reducing anti-social behaviour across the district.”

Kate Winstanley, Director of Community Alcohol Partnerships, said:

"I am delighted to see the launch of a CAP in Selby. Underage drinking is associated with school and educational problems, unprotected sex, drug-taking, violence and drinking problems in later life.

“In just over a decade CAP has set up more than 240 partnerships around the UK and our evaluations show they are having a significant impact on reducing children’s alcohol consumption, improving their health and wellbeing and enhancing the communities where they live.”

“Selby is a safe and friendly place for our children and we want to ensure that it stays that way. I am pleased to see the community coming together in this new CAP to highlight the risks of underage drinking and reduce alcohol harm among our young people.”

About Community Alcohol Partnerships

CAPs bring together a range of local stakeholders with a shared interest in preventing underage drinking and encouraging responsible drinking among young adults.

A rigorous evaluation framework shows how this innovative partnership approach has brought significant reductions in alcohol supply to children, alcohol-related anti-social behaviour and underage street drinking, with CAP areas demonstrating:

61% average reductions in weekly drinking among 13–16-year-olds

99% of retailers passed Challenge 25 compliance test for alcohol sales

86% of retailers did not sell alcohol when they suspected it was a ‘proxy’ sale

50% reduction in young people hanging around shops and asking adults to buy alcohol for them

42% reduction in youth alcohol-related anti-social behaviour

 

For more information see:www.communityalcoholpartnerships.co.uk