Councillors have backed new licensing rules to limit the number of late night takeaways in and around a Staffordshire town centre.

Newcastle Borough Council's new cumulative impact assessment (CIA) will now cover all licensable activities, including the provision of late night refreshment – the previous version of the CIA only affected premises selling alcohol.

The CIA means that the authority will take into account the cumulative impact of all licensed venues, in relation to issues such as anti-social behaviour, when deciding whether to grant a new licence. Newcastle's revised CIA has also been expanded beyond the town centre to include areas such as the stretch of the A34 Liverpool Road up to the Milehouse Lane roundabout, and the A34 London Road up to the boundary with Stoke-on-Trent – areas which have seen an increase in late night takeaways in recent years.

The CIA has been expanded beyond the town centre to include a stretch of the A34 (Pete Stonier).

Members of the borough council's licensing sub-committee voted to publish the amended CIA, following recommendations from the police and environmental protection officers. Committee members agreed that it was right to retain and expand the CIA, following a recent surge in late night takeaways and complaints about them from residents.

Councillor Stephen Sweeney said: "I totally support this, I think it's an excellent plan. I think from the perspective of [Cross Heath] Councillors John and Gillian Williams, I imagine this is something they've been after for many a long year. I think they've both been sick as pigs of all the fast food takeaways going up alongside the A34. So I absolutely support this."

Committee chair Joan Whieldon said: "For every premise selling alcohol, that transfers, when people get hungry, to the nearest food outlet, so it's good that they're included."

The new CIA will be in force for three years before being reviewed by the council again (Nub News).

During a consultation, Staffordshire Police said the existing CIA had contributed to a reduction in the level of crime in the town centre. But officers also said that late night takeaways had become 'focal points' for drunk people in the early hours, which often resulted in violence and disorder.

The new CIA will now be in force for three years before being reviewed by the council again.

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