Bradford Safer Communities Partnership was unveiling the district’s alcohol harm reduction strategy tomorrow as a timely reminder to people to be sensible over the festive period.

Its goal is to tackle and minimise the harm caused by the misuse of alcohol, such as road accidents, fights on the streets and abuse in the home.

The strategy’s aims include to: reduce the number of people who drink alcohol above recommended limits; reduce alcohol-related crime, disorder, intimidation, nuisance and anti-social behaviour; reduce the prevalence of harmful drinking by those under 18; reduce the harm caused by alcohol misuse within families and relationships.

A 35-point approach has been drawn up which includes making the population aware of the potential consequences of harmful levels of drinking; generating a debate as to whether the legal age for buying and drinking alcohol should be raised to 21; and to engage pubs, clubs and shops to develop a local code of practice on retailing practices that promote irresponsible drinking and, if necessary, to impose restrictions of price promotions.

The partnership contains representatives from Bradford Council, Bradford and Airedale teaching Primary Care Trust, West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Probation Service, West Yorkshire Fire and Service Rescue and Incommunities.

Partnership chairman Councillor Martin Smith said: “Like most people I enjoy a drink, but I also want to be able to go out in the evening without being abused by drunks, especially at this time of year. I want to see a big reduction in the number of lives damaged by alcohol-related violence and by regularly drinking too much.”

He added that the Government needs to lead a programme of cultural change so that getting drunk isn’t seen as normal behaviour for young people and alcohol is not an essential component of social or sporting success.

In the Bradford district, alcohol misuse costs the taxpayer and employers an estimated £160-240 million a year. Bradford does not perform well on a number of health and crime indicators relating to alcohol-related harm.