Alcohol-related issues targeted in Wellingborough

...came together on Wednesday 22 September to discuss how to reduce the problems caused by alcohol in Wellingborough.

Alcohol harm is an increasing problem, with one in three adults in Northamptonshire drinking too much, and associated costs for police and health services estimated at £925 a year per household. Alcohol misuse affects health and quality of life, it is associated with crime and anti-social behaviour, it compromises the safety of all road users, and it affects the local economy by causing sickness absence from work.

A county-wide strategy to tackle the problem has been developed, which focuses on the vision to make Northamptonshire a place to enjoy alcohol safely and responsibly. Attendees at Wednesday's workshop worked on developing a local strategy which addresses issues specific to Wellingborough and which can work alongside the county's priorities: providing education and awareness, managing the supply and pricing of alcohol, delivering health and treatment services, and reducing alcohol-related crime and disorder.

The group discussed areas of greatest need, what possible actions, interventions or solutions there might be, and who could deliver them. They also worked together to identify what was already being done by different partners and whether there were opportunities for more collaborative working. The final outcome will be to pull together the local strategy and action plan that specifically targets the issues in Wellingborough.

Councillor Barry Graves, chairman of the Wellingborough Partnership Healthier Delivery Group, said: "This workshop was an opportunity for partners from across the borough to identify local challenges and to prioritise what, and where, collective action needs to be focused. We will now develop a local strategy so that real work can be done to reduce alcohol harm in Wellingborough."