Tackling underage drinking must be key priority, says Baroness Newlove

Improving the prevention and tackling of underage drinking should be a key priority in the drive to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour and disorder, the Government's Champion for Active Safer Communities has said.

Baroness Newlove claimed that more could be done to help communities sort out problems tied to drugs and alcohol.

As of this month she has agreed to chair an Advisory Board leading the roll-out of Community Alcohol Partnerships, which bring together local retailers, trading standards, teachers and police in a bid to resolve underage drinking and ASB.

There are currently 35 such partnerships in 13 counties in the UK. The alcohol trade has agreed to inject £800,000 at the Baroness’ direction, to extend these existing partnerships and “significantly” increase the overall number.

In a report Baroness Newlove said her other two top priorities were:

• The creation of an online 'home' for community activism. These 'hubs' would provide community activist 'starter kits', together with useful links, contact details, up-to-date funding information and the ability to recruit potential volunteers online.
• The creation of a thriving 'civic service'. This would involve encouraging public servants – including Whitehall civil servants, council staff and the wider public sector – to volunteer their skills and time to grass roots activists. This would see the provision of a range of specialist support from IT, to project management to dealing with bureaucracy.

In an earlier report published in March this year, the Baroness called for neighbourhoods to be seen as equal partners in resolving crime, antisocial behaviour and disorder.

She said: "I promised that my report would be a springboard for further action, supporting those inspirational people who, having seen their neighbourhoods deteriorate, have decided to do something themselves rather than sit back and let someone else 'fix it'.

"From meeting committed people up and down the country, I know there is more government can do to unlock the system and bust the barriers that get in the way of successful community activism.”

The Baroness said she supported the government’s provision of £14m in funding to boost the work of grassroots activists, which was announced last week.

She added: "We need to build on the excellent work already out there and replicate it elsewhere. One of the biggest hurdles to getting things done is the complex public sector language and bureaucracy that locks ordinary people out with jargon and regulations. That's why I am working with government to tip the scales. Government should be there to help communities to help themselves, not complicate things and so frustrate and alienate good citizens.”

To access Our vision for safe and active communities: Government update, click here.