A NEW scheme has been launched to tackle underage drinking and anti-social behaviour in Wantage and Grove.

Community leaders, health bosses, schools, councillors, the police and shops have united to form the first Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) in Oxfordshire.

The initiative was launched yesterday and aims to tackle underage drinking by reducing teenagers’ access to alcohol across the area.

It brings together King Alfred Academy, Oxford University Hospitals, Public Health, South and Vale District Councils, Sweatbox, police and the Wantage and Grove Street Pastors.

The groups will work with licence holders, schools and youth groups to tackle underage drinking.

Wantage Town Mayor St.John Dickson said he was 100 per cent behind the scheme to help keep underage children off alcohol.

He added: “We are delighted. It is going to be fantastic.

“Keeping children safe and getting them off alcohol is a vital initiative in the area.

“We do suffer from it a little bit and it would be nice to sort it out. If this initiative will do this then I am 100 per cent behind it.”

The introduction of the CAP follows a survey of 110 residents which found that more than a third felt young people drinking was a problem in Wantage and and 32 per cent had experienced problem behaviours related to young people drinking.

Another survey of 203 young people found that more than half of them had drunk alcohol in the week leading up to the survey and nearly half had been drunk in the previous month.

Vale legal and democratic services leader Councillor Sandy Lovatt said that the Wantage and Grove CAP would tackle an important issue in the community.

He added: “We know that from our recent survey work that reducing underage drinking is important to our local community.

“The knock-on effects of irresponsible drinking can be severe and together we can bring about a change in attitudes and behaviour.

“I am proud that the Wantage and Grove CAP is flying the flag for Oxfordshire.”

The CAP will work with Waitrose to offer free training for independent retailers on spotting fake IDs and responsible alcohol selling, including the Challenge 25 age-verification policy.

CAP chairman Derek Lewis was delighted to launch the scheme at The Beacon in the Portway, yesterday.

He added: “Community Alcohol Partnerships are a tried and tested way of driving down underage drinking and creating better, safer and friendlier neighbourhoods.

“These locally tailored projects have been shown to be highly effective in driving down harm.”

Visit communityalcoholpartnerships.co.uk