Wednesday 6 March 2013

Youth views on alcohol sought

Christchurch youths are being asked to give their views on alcohol in the community through an online survey to help the Council form a draft Local Alcohol Policy (LAP).

The Council carried out an Alcohol in the Community Survey of 4,200 electoral roll voters late last year, but now wants to find out what young people – especially those under 18 – think about alcohol. The information will be used to develop a LAP that will guide the hours, location and conditions for places that sell alcohol in the city.

Strategic Policy Unit Manager Alan Bywater says it is important to know what youth issues are surrounding alcohol use.

“We are contacting high schools and youth organisations and clubs to ask if they will host the survey on their online sites. We want to get as much relevant information as we can from as many young people as possible.

“The LAP – a provision of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 – will be an important tool in trying to minimise alcohol-related harm in our community, especially amongst youths,” he says.

Survey responses will be anonymous and schools and groups that take part will be sent a short summary of the views gathered across the city once the results are collated.

Youths have until Sunday 24 March 2013 to take the online survey which can be found on the Council’s Facebook page or at www.ccc.govt.nz and typing Local Alcohol Policy into the search engine.

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Background information:

The Council voted last month to prepare a provisional Christchurch-specific LAP before the October local body elections.

Key policy directions and options for the LAP are currently being prepared by staff and will be presented to the full Council on 26 March 2013. A draft LAP will be then be prepared, followed by community consultation which will help shape a provisional LAP. This will be publicly notified in early 2014 and be open to appeals. Final adoption of a LAP would likely be June 2014 at the earliest.

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