Bridgend County Borough Council has updated rules designed to help tackle alcohol-related anti-social behaviour as part of its review of the area’s licensing policy.
It follows a recent public consultation and a subsequent request from South Wales Police to retain the policy’s Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) within certain streets in Bridgend town centre, which has been in place since 2005.
While the licensing policy determines how alcohol may be bought and sold in the county borough, the CIA sets out how requests will be handled for new licensed premises, changes to existing opening hours and more.
Cllr Dhanisha Patel, Cabinet Member for Wellbeing and Future Generations, said:
“We want our town centres to be safe for everyone to use and enjoy, and South Wales Police have cited the CIA as having had a direct impact on dealing with crime and disorder levels.
“The CIA works by focusing on maintaining a steady, manageable number of premises within an area such as Bridgend town centre, and weighs up whether requests to open new premises or to extend opening hours might influence or contribute to alcohol-related anti-social behaviour.
“Before any licensing approval is given, applicants must be able to demonstrate that their proposals will not contribute to or create a problem.
“The CIA remains a useful tool in helping the council, police and our partners to ensure that town centres throughout Bridgend County Borough remain safe and pleasant places to visit, shop and do business in.”
The Cumulative Impact Assessment policy applies to Derwen Road, Market Street, Wyndham Street, and Nolton Street (from its junction with Ewenny Road, to its junction with Merthyr Mawr Road, but not the area between Merthyr Mawr Road and the junction with Court Road Bridgend).