By Chris Griffin

A BOROUGH-wide ban on boozing in public places could be in place within months.

Council chiefs are pressing ahead with plans to give new powers to the police in Trafford to allow them to clamp down on drunken, loutish behaviour.

They want nearly all the borough to be covered by the 'booze ban' scheme. Under the initiative, the police could ask anyone who was drinking in the street, who they believed had or intended to cause trouble, to hand over their alcohol. Although it would not be an offence to drink alcohol in a designated area, anyone who failed to hand over alcohol to an officer could be arrested.

Signs will be put up informing people of the restrictions, which council leaders want to apply throughout the borough, including parks, and excluding only areas such as fields and the Mersey Valley.

The radical proposal comes after repeated calls by the public at area board and the new public voice on policing meetings for action to be taken to deal with drunken yobs.

Leader of the council Cllr David Acton, told a meeting of the council's executive, meeting in public,: "We have been working on this for some time with the police. The police are very keen to have this implemented and I feel the same way. We have all experienced anti-social behaviour, particularly where people have been drinking and got so drunk they become very troublesome to residents. This is an issue that is raised constantly.

"We are covering virtually all the area of Trafford. I think this will be welcomed by the residents of Trafford although obviously it won't solve all the problems."

The Conservative group welcomed the move, which comes after a new law came into force. The Criminal Justice and Police Act allows local authorities to put the restrictions in place in designated areas where they are satisfied drinking has caused problems.

A working group - made up of the cabinet member with responsibility for community safety, Cllr Barry Brotherton, and police and council officers - had already been looking a the issue for nearly a year. Its work revealed trouble spots throughout the borough.

The council will now carry out consultations on the proposal. Residents will have the chance to be put in the picture at area board meetings this month.

The council is expected to consider the proposed restriction order early next year.

cgriffin@messengergrp.co.uk

*WHAT do you think? Should the council be allowed to ban boozing in some areas? Would it have your support? Write to SUM, Brindley House, 25 Ashton Lane, Sale M33 6TP, contact Chris Griffin by email, or vote on the idea on our website, www.thisistrafford.co.uk.