A House of Lords committee today said a system of controversial alcohol disorder zones may not work
A proposed charging system has been described as “arcane” and the fact there has been no time limit set for the existence of an ADZ has also been questioned.
The House of Lords committee report says it is “unclear” what extra benefits ADZs will bring compared to other measures, such as Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and powers under the Licensing Act.
The report says the charges would cause “significant complications” for councils because many venues would challenge the fees if competitors escaped the charges.
“The basic method of calculation is highly variable. Our concern is about the transparency and practicality of this proposal,” states the report.
The conclusion states: “We wonder how many local authorities will make use of this policy given its complexity, and we draw the regulations to the special attention of the House on the ground that they may imperfectly achieve their policy objectives.”
The Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments is also scheduled to report on the re-tabled regulations shortly. The regulations are expected to be debated in the House of Commons on May 12 and scheduled for May 13 in the Lords.
