Bournemouth is generally a safe place to live.

However, many residents, particularly the elderly, do not perceive it to be safe and are afraid to go into the town centre in the evening and at night.

The Conservatives believe that it is time to do something practical about the problem and will continue to press the Lib Dem administration on Bournemouth Council to use all their powers and influence to make the town centre open to all. It is after all a local issue.

Bournemouth must enforce a stop to underage drinking as a serious priority.

Licensees who serve underage drinkers must be punished by suspending or removing their licenses. Currently this is dealt with by the Courts, but the Council can make their case against persistent offenders in support of and in cooperation with the Police at any time.

Central Ward Councillor David Smith (who helped to make this Bournemouth Council policy) said, ' This should happen anyway once the licensing of pubs, bars and nightclubs becomes the responsibility of the Council next year. The Conservatives have made it very clear all along that they will expect enforcement to follow immediately once a rogue licensee has been caught selling alcohol to an underage drinker. We have a responsibility to stamp this problem out.'

Bar staff and door staff must also be made to shoulder their share of responsibility by obeying the law and refusing to serve more alcohol to anyone who has had enough or who is getting out of control. They must also do much more to help combat drug abuse which is the other main cause of the problem.

In Dublin the city council has successfully limited the size of groups of people celebrating Stag Nights and Hen Parties and Bournemouth should do likewise - and soon.

As a condition on the granting of town centre and late night licenses it seems only fair that pubs, bars and nightclubs should have to pay for the extra cleaning and policing they cause. East Cliff Councillor, Anne Filer said, ' It seems extremely unfair that the council tax payer in the form of all Bournemouth residents should have to pay for the extra policing and massive clean up that is required throughout the weekend. The cost must be passed on to the operators and in turn to their customers. I shall be pressing the Lib Dem Council to do this and recoup some of the costs caused by the night time economy. It is totally unacceptable that Bournemouth residents should have to pay for the mess and rowdiness of revellers in the town centre, especially as many of them are not residents of our town.'

The Conservatives want to see a real and permanent clampdown on antisocial behaviour in Bournemouth and believe that the Council can play its part by working with the police to take a tougher stance over badly managed premises and yobs on the streets of the town centre throughout the weekend and at night.

The message from Bournemouth Conservatives is clear and simple - If it takes a zero tolerance approach to sort out binge drinking and put a stop to antisocial behaviour then that is what we should do, starting now.


For further details please contact:-

Cllr John Beesley
Bournemouth Conservatives
on Bournemouth Council

Tel. 01202 762403
Mobile 07860 391219
email john.beesley@bournemouth.gov.uk