Cllr brands licensing process as ' an utter shamble which is letting local people down.'

3.20.09pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 5th Jun 2009

Cllr David Ward, chair of the Bradford North Area Committee has responded to a Home Office consultation which could give more powers to councils to crack down on alcohol-related crime.

He said,

" Residents in Idle have been frustrated by the council's inability to quickly shut down places which abuse the law including sell alcohol to under aged drinkers. The council recently revoked the licence of the Idle Village off-licence because of police allegations about underage sales and complaints by residents including a substantial petition.

The licensee has been able to get round this by appealing to the magistrates court which entitles him to carry on business until at least the middle of August even though the local people want it shut down now.

The police have delivered leaflets saying that it is a criminal offence to sell alcohol to under-age drinkers. They have the evidence but fail to prosecute. Local people are baffled by the behaviour of the police and the council.

In the meantime, residents have to put up with noise, rowdy behaviour and mess from broken bottles. Young people are increasingly at risk whilst they are drunk.

On top of that, I hear that a new application for a license for the same place has been submitted by another person but the council has failed so far to put it on the website. People have only 28 days to respond but they don't know what they are responding to.

I am inviting local people to respond directly to me if they want to object to this application and I will guarantee to send all responses on to the Council.

I also want the police to pay very close attention to the Idle Village Off-Licence over the next couple of months until the magistrates hear the case so that residents can live in peace.

The system is an utter shambles at the moment and it is letting long-suffering residents down. "