Police and Trading Standards ask council for U18 booze sting cash

Sep 15 2008 by Katie Campling, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

COUNCILLORS will decide tomorrow on whether to fund a Kirklees-wide crackdown on sales of alcohol to under-age youngsters.

Kirklees Council’s Huddersfield North Area Committee will meet to decide whether to contribute to the £4,200 cost of running test purchasing operations over the next year.

The operations by West Yorkshire Police and Trading Standards involve children under 18 being sent into licensed premises and off-licences to see if they will be sold alcohol.

Test purchasing operations have been run in the area before, with funding from the area committee and help from the Home Office.

A database of willing young people has also been put together, recruited by behaviour improvement officers working in local schools.

This time, the plan is to target local pubs and clubs more heavily.