A BAN on drinking on the streets of Callington has been stopped. Instead, the council will give the town's new Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) time to settle in to his role and check on the progress. The council will look and consider the alcohol ban in six months time. The ban was discussed during the monthly town council meeting this week. One of the main concerns to come out of the discussion was how much the proposed scheme may cost. Portreeve Jeremy Gist said if the application was put in and no-one appealed against it, the plan may only see a legal bill of a couple hundred pounds. However, if there were problems this may see the legal cost rise to thousands of pounds and there was no way of knowing what may happen. Acting town clerk Lynda Small said that she had talked to a representative of Launceston who said that in their case North Cornwall District Council paid for their legal expenses, and would incorporate all leisure areas within the town. Cllr Chris Thomas proposed that the council should go ahead with the ban. 'It is something that is coming in in other places around the country,' he said. Replying to Cllr Thomas, Cllr Sue Nettle said that the PCSO should be given more time. 'He is building up a rapport with people and if there is trouble I think he will be told. I think we should give him a chance,' she said. Cllr Kath Pascoe supported the idea to give the PCSO more time and said if a small area was chosen for the ban then more people would go towards the outskirts to drink, leaving the council to make the proposed ban area bigger, or make them invest in CCTV. Other councillors suggested that if a ban was put in place, other areas should be covered. Cllr Roger Ellard said: 'I don't believe a ban would stop people drinking in the streets. However, if one was introduced, it would have to take in the cemetery. 'There have been times when people have gone to the chapel and the museum and drunk, as alcohol has been found there as well. Some youngsters will always find places to go.' No-one could be found to second the proposition from Cllr Thomas and therefore this was lost. A new proposal from deputy portreeve Cllr Denise Winfindale that the scheme be looked at in six months time was adopted.
