Liquor licensing improvements go ahead

Auckland City Council’s City Development Committee has decided to focus on making operational improvements and introduce greater transparency and improved decision-making processes to the council’s liquor licensing practices.

It is expected that the new Auckland Council will assess and streamline liquor licensing across the region once it is established and as a result, Auckland City Council will not take a new licensing approach, but rather focus on operational improvements.

“This is about accommodating the imminent change in Auckland’s governance with the immediate need to take a clearer, more responsible and collaborative approach to licensing the sale of alcohol across the city,” says Councillor Aaron Bhatnagar, Chairperson of the City Development Committee.

The new guidelines will ensure that licences are granted or renewed on a case-by-case basis and that the council, Police, licensees and the Medical Officer of Health work collaboratively on community issues in relation to alcohol.

“This will ensure that community interests are core to our decision making processes in relation to liquor licensing while still maintaining a vibrant, world-class hospitality industry,” says Councillor Bhatnagar.

The new set of guidelines and operational improvements will be implemented by May 2010.

ENDS

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