POLICE in Okehampton have delivered some sobering thoughts on a town council idea to introduce a ban on the public consumption of alcohol in the town centre.

Okehampton's community policeman PC Dave Woodland told a meeting of the council's parks committee this week that a ban on alcohol consumption in the town centre may not be the most effective way of tackling irresponsible drinking and anti-social behaviour.

The idea of a ban on drinking in public places in Okehampton was raised at a meeting of the town council two months ago by councillors concerned at underage drinking and anti-social behaviour around the town at night.

PC Woodland said: 'It is a question of who are you targeting it at? There is already legislation covering underage drinking, and legislation covering rowdiness in the street. Do we need to support a by-law?

'If two or three people are walking down Fore Street with bottles in their hand on a Friday or Saturday night, are they doing anything wrong, provided they are not out of control?'

PC Woodland continued: 'If a family of four are enjoying themselves in the park on a Sunday afternoon with a bottle of wine, is it right that a policeman should intervene?'

He said the town council had to ask itself what it was trying to achieve and if a by-law would be enforcable.

With regards to underage drinking, PC Woodland said in his experience of policing Okehampton for the last 15 years, incidents of underage drinking were less frequent now than in the past.

Cllr Pat Snell said drinking in the streets and on benches 'gives a bad impression of the town'.

PC Woodland said it was better where possible to tackle the root of the problem.

'We are better off trying to encourage licensees to police their pubs properly and not allow people to take drinks out of their pubs,' he said.

Cllr Jane Hill informed committee members that, with the introduction of the Licensing Act 2003, all license applications from next year will go through local authorities rather than magistrates.

Cllr Hill said this change would give more powers to the police and local residents.

'If the police felt a pub landlord in Okehampton wasn't discouraging people from taking bottles out of their premises, they would have the power to suspend the license with three, four or five days, and hit the licensee in the pocket, where it hurts,' she said.

Councillors supported the suggestion by Cllr Mark Slater at Monday night's meeting, to contact Bodmin Town Council which had introduced an alcohol ban recently, and find out how successful the ban had been there.

Okehampton Mayor Cllr Christine Marsh said two special meetings would be held in the coming weeks to discuss the issue of an alcohol ban as well as the possible introduction of CCTV cameras around the town.