Two small Waitaki Valley towns are not giving up after failing in their bid to put a year-round liquor ban in place.
The Ahuriri Community Board has recommended a temporary liquor ban on Otematata and Omarama from October to June, while it waits to get the information it needs to extend it to cover the remainder of the year.
Temporary liquor bans already exist to cover holiday periods in the area, at Christmas, Easter, and Labour Weekend, but the new liquor ban would apply from October 21 to June 5, 2017.
The ban was discussed at a community services committee meeting last week and was due to go to a Waitaki District Council meeting on August 3 for adoption.
Board chairman Graham Sullivan said the board was at least pleased with the chance of having a seven and a-half month reprieve from alcohol impaired visitors in the towns' public places.
He believed the towns' problems were predominantly caused by visitors to the area.
"Our people get sick of it. Liquor bans give police the power to act. ... We're prepared to try that to see if it helps.''
Board member and Otematata resident Vicky Munro said she would continue pushing for a permanent ban.
Mrs Munro said the bans were intended to curtail alcohol-related wilful damage and disorderly behaviour offences in the townships.
The bans meant people could not carry around open alcohol containers in the town centres.
A council report said a permanent liquor ban was investigated by council staff and during a board workshop it became apparent that a lack of alcohol-related harm statistics and evidence made it impossible to introduce a permanent liquor ban.
The report authors stated that a project was being formed to gather those statistics.
Mrs Munro said the purpose of the ban was to give the police officers in the areas more power to tackle vandalism.
"So the police could have more control over the towns and anyone abusing the fact they could walk the streets with alcohol in their hand and throw bottles all over the place.''
