Council adopts provisonal alcohol policy

Published on 19 June 2017

19 June 2017

The Whanganui District Council’s Statutory Management Committee has agreed on a provisional Local Alcohol Policy, which will prevent alcohol sales in off-licences, grocery stores and supermarkets after 9.30pm and impose limitations on the number and location of off-licences.

Safer Whanganui spokesperson Lauren Tamehana says achieving a provisional Local Alcohol Policy has taken a large amount of work and dedication from a number of organisations.

Ms Tamehana says, “Safer Whanganui is concerned about the amount of alcohol-related harm in our community and we now have a well-researched policy that will work towards minimising that harm.”

She says, “The call for this policy came from the community, who were keen for the Council to take a leadership role in minimising alcohol-related harm and the subsequent robust provisional policy has the opportunity to achieve this.”

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 allows councils to adopt a policy relating to the sale, supply and consumption of alcohol for their district.

The Council received 86 submissions on the Draft Local Alcohol Policy during its consultation period.

Mayor Hamish McDouall says the Provisional Local Alcohol Policy reflects the community’s commitment to putting a policy in place to help reduce alcohol-related harm.

“The submissions to the policy indicated strong support from the community to make changes to the way people access alcohol, such as reducing hours at on-licences and limiting the number of off-licences.

“Developing the policy has been a collaborative effort between the Council, Whanganui District Health Board, Police and community, Iwi and health groups as a substantive way to make a difference to the health of our community,” says Mayor Hamish McDouall.

The full Council will receive the Provisional Local Alcohol Policy at its meeting on 4 July.

The provisions of the Provisional Local Alcohol Policy are:

• No new off-licences (with the exception of supermarkets and grocery stores) will be granted if they are determined to be within 100 metres of the legal site boundary to a sensitive site.

• Sensitive sites now include alcohol treatment centres and children’s playgrounds as well as early childhood centres, primary and secondary schools, marae and places of worship.

• Off-licences in the Whanganui District will be limited to 16, excluding supermarkets and grocery stores.

• A one-way door restriction will apply to on-licences where licensed hours exceed midnight. This means anyone exiting a tavern, bar, pub or nightclub are not to be admitted or re-admitted one hour before the establishment closes.

• Maximum hours for clubs are 8.00am to midnight.

• Maximum licensed hours for off-licences, grocery stores, and supermarkets 7.00am to 9.30pm.