Government commits £1m to address underage and problem drinking

Ten projects are set to share a newly created £1m government fund to tackle binge and underage drinking.

The Department for Communities and Local Government cash will be handed to existing community projects and partnerships with a proven track record of reducing binge and underage drinking in their area.

The move comes as the government’s safe communities champion Baroness Newlove launches her latest report Building Safe, Active Communities, which focuses on tackling problem drinking as well as support for community groups. Problem drinking was highlighted as a priority in her interim report released last July.

Among examples of successful anti-drinking campaigns highlighted in her latest report is the work of Newquay Safe Partnership, which includes promotional campaigns aimed at young people and a crackdown on the use of fake IDs. Since 2009 there has been a 30 per cent fall in incidents of antisocial behaviour in the Cornish town.

Baroness Newlove said: “I am sick of the harm caused by those young people who put themselves and others at risk from illegal drinking. The crime and antisocial behaviour that comes in its wake is a terrible blight on this country.

“It destroys the quality of life of innocent people and in the process sucks up huge amounts of public funding to repair the damage done to people and places.”

Addaction chief executive Simon Antrobus, who sits on the Community Alcohol Partnerships Group board with Baroness Newlove, described the fund as “another step forward in changing our country’s drinking culture for the better”.

“At Addaction, we’re very encouraged by both this new report and the £1m funding that has been announced. We know how well things work when services are joined up and properly integrated – and where the community feels empowered in tackling its problems.”

As well as cracking down on irresponsible retailing, Antrobus stressed the importance of support for those whose lives have been damaged by alcohol. “Many of the young people we see have problems caused by their parents’ own problems with alcohol, which is one of the main reasons for Addaction’s work with whole families.”

Full details of the application process will be released at a later date.