|
|
|
|
Council taxpayers will have to pay for late opening
|
A Plaid Cymru Assembly Group Survey has discovered that Welsh councils expect increased costs to occur from new licensing laws which will come into effect tomorrow. Of those who responded nearly all expected an increase in costs as a result of the new laws with a typical cost of over £100,000 per year. The higher costs will come from licensing departments and the extra workload for Environmental Health Officers.
Environmental Health Officers say that their extra workload will mean public health will suffer. They will be responsible for dealing with complaints from the public, monitoring disturbances and reviewing licenses. The recent e-coli outbreak has shown how important the work of these officers is. To achieve the highest standard of service there will need to be an increase in funding and the only people who can pay for this are councils, and therefore taxpayers.
Dr Dai Lloyd Plaid Cymru’s shadow Local Government Minister commented:
“There are going to be serious financial costs resulting from the new laws. As well as higher costs for the police and NHS in dealing with the aftermath of later opening we now hear that council tax payers are going to have to pay out for this ill thought out law.”
Dr Dai Lloyd added:
"24 hr drinking is going to have major consequences for people in Wales. It is obviously going to lead to more alcohol consumption. This will mean more alcohol related violence and more alcohol related illnesses such as liver cirrhosis.”
Diwedd/Ends
Notes
1. Environmental health officer quotes are based on Chartered institute of Environmental Health quotes in Sunday’s Observer (20/11/05)
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0,6903,1646796,00.html.
2. We asked all Welsh councils if they expected increased costs. Here are the responses we received:
|
