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| Issued By West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service |
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| Issued By West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service |
100% PROOF OF AGE
On
25th June, West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service is launching the
next phase of the Proof of Age Partnership, which has been running since
November 2001 in the East Leeds area. The aim of the Partnership is to reduce the number of
opportunities that youngsters have of buying age restricted products such as
alcohol and cigarettes.
The
formal evaluation is now complete and the West Yorkshire Proof of Age
Partnership has proved itself to be an unqualified success.
Since its introduction, West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service has
received no complaints relating to underage sales in the pilot area.
In
addition, calls to West Yorkshire Police relating to Youth Nuisance and Anti
Social Behaviour have dropped from 4600 last October to 2200 in January 2002.
Whilst the Partnership cannot claim full credit for this reduction, it is clear
that the opportunities youngsters have to purchase alcohol have been
significantly reduced, thereby cutting the number of instances of anti-social
behaviour and youth nuisance so very often associated with alcohol consumption.
This overwhelming success has meant that the Partnership can begin its roll out programme, initially in North and North East Leeds. The aim is to spread the Partnership across the rest of Leeds and ultimately the rest of West Yorkshire, funding permitting.
Chairman
of West Yorkshire Joint Services, Councillor Graham Clarke said, “ It is very
encouraging to see that the number of complaints about the sale of age
restricted products has fallen so dramatically in the pilot area.
The scheme eliminates any uncertainty for retailers about the age of
youngsters and consequently means that there is no longer any reason for illegal
sales to be made in the future.”
Martin
Wood, Chief Officer of West Yorkshire Joint Services said, “ The roll out of
the Partnership highlights the success of the scheme and I look forward to
seeing the Proof of Age Partnership continuing with the same level of success
across the whole of West Yorkshire in the near future.”
Roger
Elliott, from Safeway, a major supporter of the Proof of Age Partnership said
“Safeway have been very pleased to be involved with West Yorkshire
Trading Standards Service in their Proof of Age scheme.
We hope that our involvement has been of benefit both to the success of
the initiative and also to the community as a whole”
Details
of the Partnership are available on our website www.ts.wyjs.org.uk
Graham
Hebblethwaite: Divisional Manager/General Media Contact 0113 2898218
Paul
Cooper: Divisional Manager 0113 2898240
Carol
Hallett: Education and Promotions Officer: 0113 3836407
The
launch of this next phase of the West Yorkshire Proof of Age Partnership takes
place at 11 am on Tuesday 25th June 2002 at Safeway Stores, Roundhay
Road, Leeds. Councillor Mike Fox (Roundhay) will be in attendance, as will
pupils and teachers from the schools involved.
Photographers are welcome