Following the introduction of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act (2012), which came into effect in December last year, the Mackenzie District Council planning committee will today discuss a proposal from its planning department to develop a joint local alcohol policy (LAP) with the Waitaki, Waimate and Timaru District Councils. Under the Act, on-licence premises can trade between 8am on any day and 4am the next day, while off-licence premises can trade between 7am and 11pm, but the Act also allows councils to introduce tighter opening restrictions through a LAP.
Mackenzie District Council chief executive Wayne Barnett said the council administered its alcohol responsibilities through the Timaru District Council, but it was ''quite open'' to working with councils in Waitaki and Waimate to establish a wider joint approach.
Mr Barnett said as yet there had been no discussions with other councils, but a joint LAP, relating to the sale, supply and consumption of alcohol, among neighbouring districts made ''good sense''.
''The arrangement we have with Timaru works well for us. We would certainly not be opposed to working wider, but that's something that other councils would also have to see benefit in it.''
At present, licensed premises in all four districts must close by 3am.
Mr Barnett said joint approach would ensure that there would not be an influx of late-night drinkers to hotels and bars in neighbouring districts, which could happen if some councils had different LAPs or chose not to adopt one.
Any LAP, whether it included other councils or just Mackenzie, would have to undergo a special consultative procedure and be publicly notified, he said.
Waitaki District Council strategy group manager Richard Mabon said staff were also in the process of putting together a report on the possibility of introducing a LAP.
Waitaki councillors had not yet been asked to take part in a joint policy, but Mr Mabon was confident that relevant council departments could work with their counterparts on the issue.
''My personal view is that, if we are to have a LAP, then a joint LAP with Timaru, Mackenzie and Waimate is preferable, for reasons of efficiency and common interests.
''We also considered approaching some other councils but felt that their local alcohol issues were very different from ours and not a practicable option for a joint approach.''
However, any collaboration would happen only if elected officials agreed to have a LAP at all, he said.
Police in Waitaki were also broadly supportive of a LAP. Sergeant Craig Sew Hoy said it was still ''early days'' in the process, but police were putting together a ''wish list'' of what they would like to see included, should the council decide one was needed.
''I'd like to see an alcohol plan in the Waitaki area, because it covers things like liquor bans and things like that ... which aren't covered in the Act, as such. There's a lot of things that we have got that would have to come under a local alcohol plan."
