Opinion
Featured in The Bath Chronicle; 7th May 2009
There have been two items of good news for everyone who wants the centre of Bath to be a place which residents and visitors can enjoy in the evening without being affronted or alarmed by anti-social behaviour.
First, there was the recent report in the Chronicle of ten individuals being banned from licensed premises in the city centre on account of their bad behaviour. I would like to thank the licensees, who are members of the Bath Pubwatch scheme, and the Police for their co-ordinated action against known troublemakers.
The second item of good news was the decision of the Council’s Licensing Committee that the Cumulative Impact Policy (CIP) should be continued. I am only sorry that two Liberal Democrat members of the Committee did not agree. The CIP was introduced a year ago, following a long campaign by local Conservatives, because of the special problems of having many licensed premises in a small area. The CIP puts the onus on applicants for new or extended licences to show that they have robust measures in place to prevent crime and disorder and nuisance in and around their premises.
The policy has worked well in raising standards and backing responsible licensees. I was therefore puzzled by Councillor Andrew Furse’s comments (reported 19 February) that the CIP was only hollow words and had achieved nothing. There is more to be done, but without the CIP it would be harder to bring about the further improvements we want to see.
Yours sincerely
Cllr Brian Webber
(Con, Abbey)