Statement of Licensing Policy (2008) WCC - Westminster City Council

23. It is widely acknowledged and recognised by the Home Offi ce that there are stronglinks between the consumption of alcohol and crime. Nationally, alcohol is a factorin 30% of city centre arrests 27 and this proportion is rising. However, the number ofconvictions and cautions for drunkenness are now at only 70% of their 1991 levels andthose for the selling of alcohol to under 18’s and those for the purchasing of alcoholby under 18’s, are at 25% and 10% of their 1991 levels. This is more to do with policingresources and priorities as any actual reduction in these offences. 28 Alcohol alsocauses an increase in anti-social behaviour, with some 43% of violent incidents beingunder the infl uence of alcohol misuse 2924. The analytic study proceeding the Government’s Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategyrecognises that the likelihood of aggression and violence is heavily infl uenced byboth the characteristics of licensed premises and their surrounding environment. Thefactors on the premises identifi ed affecting incidence of violence include• the skill, experience, attitude and management• a young clientele especially if allowed to drink to intoxication• the layout and design of premises, if leading to crowding and queuing• unpleasant, poorly ventilated premises• a lack of seating• playing loud music25. The factors in the surrounding environment include competition for scarce resourcessuch as transport. This is exacerbated in areas where there is a high density ofvenues, if there is a lack of public transport and if venues all close at the same time.3526. Data on the location of crime reports for violent crime for the year April 2006- March2007 been analysed. This is the fi rst set of data that covers a period when theLicensing Act 2003 has been fully in operation. Analysis has been focussed on violentcrime, between midnight and 03:59. This is the period when these types of crime aremost often committed. Midnight is the latest time that pubs can be open under thecore hours and the next four hours is the key time for the operation of the night-timeeconomy.27. These analyses show that the overall numbers of reports of these crimes at later hoursthat can be mapped have been dropping over the past three years, although the rateof decrease between midnight and 04:00 is less than the earlier part of the night.27 Alcohol Harm Reduction Project Interim Analytical report Simmons et al (2003)28 Alcohol Harm Reduction Project Interim Analytical report Lan Ho et al (2002)29 Crime in England and Wales 2005/6 Home Office Bulletin quoted in Safer Sensible Social: the next steps in the nationalalcohol strategy135