A quieter life for city centre residents?
15 January 2008
 David Gray.jpg)
Green city councillors have moved to support a Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ) for Brighton's city centre to limit the growth in new pubs and clubs.
A CIZ places tighter controls over any increases of hours or premises.
The proposal has been made to Brighton & Hove City Council by Sussex Police following evidence linking crime and anti-social behaviour to alcohol consumption.
Mirroring concerns from many residents, Green councillors are also calling for the control zone to be extended from the commercial central zone into more residential areas such as North Laine, Hanover and Lewes Road.
“We have to find a constructive approach to licensing that affords a balance between the interests of the licensed trade, the statutory agencies and the community as a whole,” said Green Convenor Councillor Keith Taylor (pictured left).
“Too many city centre residents are feeling the negative effects that a 24 hour drinking culture has brought with it.
"The violence that the Police are highlighting is only part of the story.
"I get daily reports of noisy pubs and revellers and anti social behaviour on a scale which has led many families to move out of the area altogether”.
“The government has made it very easy for traders to get a liquor licence and I believe that the proper use of the CIZ regulations could give people in the community some chance of real control over their own neighbourhoods.”
Notes to editors:
Media: for further information please contact Lizzie Deane External Communications Coordinator on 07899 843206.1. The CIZ consultation period has now ended, and its results will be reported to the Licensing Committee on February 14. The full council meeting of April 24 will finally vote on whether to include a CIZ policy in its Statement of Licensing Policy.
2. See Police crime stats
www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/downloads/bhcc/licence_applications/Cul_Impact_12_Nov.pdf
3. Full text of representation follows:
Brighton & Hove City Council – Statement of Licensing Policy Licensing Act 2003 Consultation on Cumulative Impact proposals
Dear Colin Giddings
I am writing on behalf of Brighton & Hove’s Green councillors, with the exception of those members who are involved directly in the licensing committees/panels (for the avoidance of doubt this includes Cllrs Davey, Fryer, Kitcat and West).
We welcome the proposal for a Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ) as we believe it offers a constructive approach to licensing that affords a balance between the interests of the licensed trade, the statutory agencies and the community as a whole.
However there are community concerns that, in areas outside the proposed CIZ, instances of crime and disorder and nuisance may increase by virtue of those areas’ proximity to the CIZ. Alongside this is a community enthusiasm, which we wholeheartedly support, to significantly extend the CIZ from the boundaries currently proposed.
Notwithstanding the area finally identified as a CIZ, we believe that areas just beyond the city centre - in particular the Lewes Road, and residential areas of North Laine and Hanover wards - should be kept under continual review to ensure they suffer no deterioration in public order etc. To address these concerns we therefore believe that in these areas particular issues such as security, noise reduction and public safety should be a matter of licensing policy.
Below we highlight the reasons that convince us there is sufficient evidence to relate the high incidence of crime to the high volume of drinking establishments in the proposed zone.
Correlation between alcohol and crime
Police figures show that there is a high density of crime in the central Brighton and seafront areas and a high density of licensed premises in the same areas.
• 46% of crime in the zone is drug or alcohol related.
• Over 80% of crime which is alcohol related is violent crime.
• 29% of all rapes this year (2005) were perceived under the influence.
• 89% of the rapes perceived under the influence were either stranger or acquaintance relationships, only 3 were intimate.
Correlation between crime and licensed premises in the proposed zone
• Approximately half of all public place violent crime (PPVC) recorded in 2006 was in the proposed zone.
• In the Central District over the past 12 months, 22% (274 of 1256) of the drink related PPVC occurred either inside or outside of a licensed premise and one club alone accounted for 14% PPVC in the central district.
Correlation between crime and opening hours of licensed premises
• Where offences in 2005 dropped sharply at 0300 hours, offences in 2006 are still relatively high between 3 and 4am, up by 114.6% from 2005, reflecting the changes in licensing hours.
• Public Place Violent Crime peaks between 11pm and 3am, coinciding with closing times for pubs, bars and clubs.
Correlation between crime in licensed premises and density of premises in the same area
• In 2006 9 out of the top 10 licensed premises where violent crime is recorded fell within the proposed zone.
• 50% venues where crime has been recorded are in the primary hotspot, West St.
• In 2006 the secondary hotspot on the Lower Esplanade shows a much higher level of crime than in 2005 and is nearly on a par with the primary hotspot, West St. This reflects the increasing popularity of licensed venues on this part of the seafront.
• Since 2005 the vast majority of additional licensed premises fall within the proposed impact area.
• 19 out of 23 violent incidents in the Eastern area were in St. James’ St itself, focused around where the licensed premises are concentrated
• A third of all public place violent crime on East and West District is either alcohol or drug related, this is lower than central district where the figure is approximately 50:50.
Whilst the Police have made tremendous efforts to manage crime effectively they have continuous challenges and public place violent crime shows an upward trend across the city. In some of the crime hotspots within the zone they have been unable to reduce crime.
We feel it is appropriate to include residential streets (as described above) as they currently experience a great deal of public nuisance in terms of noise disturbance and littering as people ‘spill out’ from pubs and clubs. Not to include these streets could encourage a higher number of new licence applications for pubs and clubs in residential streets seeking to avoid the ‘presumption against new licences’ the CIZ regime promotes..
Many licensed premises in the proposed impact zone, especially the new ones, are large, vertical drinking establishments, which are likely to attract heavier drinking and more crime. This, combined with the increase in offending later in the night has a significant impact on police resources. If dealing with this proves to be unsustainable for the police this could compromise and undermine efforts to meet all four licensing objectives.
The effect of a Cumulative Impact Zone is likely to help prevent an increasing density of drinking establishments in a small area unless those venues can prove that they can work successfully with the police and council to reduce the negative effects that a high density of establishments may bring – not only crime and disorder but also public nuisance and public safety and potentially to also protect children from harm.
Yours sincerely
Councillor Keith Taylor
Convenor, Green Party Councillors
[ENDS]
