Council wants views of residents on street drinking in Dacorum

Residents are being urged to share their experience of any drinking on the streets in the area

For the past 10 years, the following six areas in Dacorum have been covered by ‘designated public place orders’: Berkhamsted and Northchurch, Bovingdon, Boxmoor, Durrants Hill Road and Frogmore End in Apsley, Evans Wharf in Apsley and Hemel Hempstead town centre (including Old Town and Gadebridge Park).

Within these areas, the police and accredited council officers have extra powers to stop people from consuming alcohol in streets and other public places – anyone drinking alcohol in those places will commit a criminal offence if they fail to stop drinking and surrender their alcohol when asked to do so, and may receive a fixed penalty notice or face prosecution.

Following a change in anti-social behaviour laws, the Council is now required to review these orders and decide if there is enough evidence of ongoing issues to justify keeping the restrictions.

To help the Council carry out this review, it would like to hear from anyone who has witnessed or been affected by street drinking in or around the areas listed above.

People can respond by visiting www.dacorum.gov.uk/licensingsurveyThe deadline for responses is Friday, May 5, and then a final decision will be made on whether to keep any or all of the restrictions later this year.