Proposals to tighten the laws around drinking alcohol in public are set to go to consultation.
Following concerns raised by local residents and Police Scotland, Stirling councillors have approved a report from the local authority’s legal team, which advocates a council area-wide consultation on proposed amendments to the Stirling Council Prohibition of Drinking of Alcohol in Public Places Byelaw.
The proposals seek to extend the area covered by the byelaw in the Callander area.
However, they also seek to adjust the wording of the existing byelaw, making it an offence to have an open container of alcohol in a designated public place.
The byelaw was first introduced in Stirling in 1998 to prohibit the consumption of alcohol in a list of defined public places. The list has been amended and expanded over the years.
Police Scotland are responsible for enforcement, with offences being reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (“COPFS”) for decisions on prosecution.
The byelaw currently makes it an offence to consume alcohol in a designated public place - but it is only enforceable by police officers if they witness individuals in the actual act of consuming alcohol.
Police Scotland have told the council they have found this to be challenging to enforce and have asked for the byelaw to be changed to include being in possession of an open container containing alcohol in a designated public place.
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They have also asked for the byelaw to be extended to the Invertrossachs Road/South Loch Venachar area following a reported increase in wild camping and associated anti-social behaviour last summer.
The changes will match the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park’s existing camping management zone.
At the meeting of the full council, Trossachs and Teith councillor Martin Earl (Tory) said: “I very much welcome this. A lot of work has gone into this and I’d like to commend the group of residents in the south Loch Venachar area who have been instrumental in pushing this forward.
“There’s great support for it in that area and through Callander Community Council as well.
“An important point to mention is that police have discretion and this will just be part of the toolkit designed to help them address some of the situations which have arisen.”
SNP councillor Evelyn Tweed added: “In my ward there were untold issues last year and it’s very much welcomed. I hope we approve it and move on with it.”
Dunblane SNP councillor Graham Houston said, however: “While I understand the local feeling will prevail because of the disruption to their normal lives, as a council we need to be careful to not just respond to local issues but the whole tourism offering around Stirling.
“National Parks were created to give access to open space. I just want to be assured that a balanced proposition will be put into the process.”
Officers gave assurances that the definition of “open bottle” would be clarified and that the consultation process would bring back a report on all responses to council by the end of April. At that time councillors would be asked to decide whether to back the changes, which would then have to be ratified by the Scottish Government.
Full details of the consultation are to be announced in due course.
