New alcohol policy in the works

The community is getting the chance to influence how alcohol is sold and supplied in Christchurch.

Councillors have voted for Christchurch City Council to begin developing a new Local Alcohol Policy (LAP), which can outline rules like the number, location, and opening hours of licenced premises across the whole city. 

Deputy Mayor Pauline Cotter says the ultimate goal of any good LAP is to reflect the values of the wider community. 

“The first step for our staff is developing a draft policy with community stakeholders, and then we’ll go out for a full Special Consultative Procedure, where everyone will have the chance to weigh in with their views on how our district should treat what can be a very complex issue. 

“Ultimately, every LAP is about reducing alcohol harm in the community. The community’s range of views on what’s helpful and what’s not will inform the final decision.” 

The opportunity to develop a new LAP comes as a result of the Government making amendments to the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. 

“The Government made some changes to the Act last year that simplify the whole process – we don’t need to produce a provisional LAP first, and other parties can’t appeal any elements of it," Deputy Mayor Cotter says. 

Any council can develop its own LAP, in consultation with the local community. 

The process would take an estimated 18 months, and once the LAP is adopted, it would be reviewed every six years.