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12-07-2007 Council’s Text Messaging Service to Report Underage Drinkers

Parents are being asked to help authorities wage war on underage drinking this summer by helping make sure their children stay away from alcohol.

North East Lincolnshire Council's Trading Standards team is asking parents not to give alcohol to their children and to report the sale of booze to under 18's as part of its largest ever blitz on underage drinking.

Research in the past has suggested the long summer holiday period can see an increase in underage drinking and that the home can provide one of the biggest sources of booze for youngsters.

To help combat the problem the team is asking residents make sure access to alcohol in the homes is restricted and that they do not provide juveniles with access to drink.

They are also encouraging parents and all other residents to report the sale of alcohol to minors either by contacting Trading Standards directly or by using the team's new text message hotline system.

As part of the new text message scheme anyone can send information directly to officers simply by texting 'underage' then their message to 82055.

It is hoped members of the public will use it to inform officers of underage drinking or sales while they are taking place, providing them with up to the minute intelligence on where problem hotspots are.

This will allow Trading Standards officials to better target their patrols and sweeps to make sure they are visiting areas where under age drinking is taking place on a regular basis.

Aside from the text system the council has also launched a Responsible Retailer Award which is supported by the North East Lincolnshire Strategic Partnership, and is intended to encourage residents to promote those retailers who are selling age restricted products responsibly. The twin approach is intended to improve intelligence to help officers more speedily crack down on those causing the problem while also acknowledging retailers who sell alcohol and other age restricted products e.g. knives and solvents responsibly.

Officers have also recently carried out a fresh wave of test purchasing in a number of pubs and shops and will continue to do this throughout the summer.

Both the text message service and the Responsible Retailer Scheme have been funded by the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.

Councillor Andrew De Freitas, the leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said: 'We are really seeking to make an impact on underage drinking this summer and are asking parents to join with us and do all they can to help.'

'The home provides one of the easiest places from which young people can get hold of alcohol and by restricting access to it or not supplying it in the first place parents can really help us continue to keep cutting this problem.'

'I would urge anyone who does have information about the sale or supply of alcohol to young people to contact Trading Standards.'

Neil Clark, Principal Trading Standards Officer, said 'the new text service would allow the Trading Standards team to respond more quickly than before to intelligence.'

He said: "Historically the long school summer holidays and hot weather can often see an increase in underage drinking.

'This year we have launched our largest campaign yet to tackle the problem head on both during the summer period and afterwards and need residents to help us make this happen.'

'We have already begun to make an impact on the supply of alcohol to minors this year and I would urge the public to get in touch either directly or through our text system to help us continue this.'

For further details on the text service and Responsible Retailer Award contact Trading Standards community safety officer, Mark Edwards on 01472 324807.

North East Lincolnshire Council Trading Standards Department, Origin One, 1 Origin Way, Genesis, Europarc, Grimsby DN37 9TZ.
Telephone: 01472) 324770   Fax: (01472) 324819   Electronic Mail: trading.standards@nelincs.gov.uk