COUNCILLORS have agreed for an alcohol ban in Upper Gornal and Woodsetton.

At a meeting of the council's licensing and safety committee, members rubber-stamped proposals to widen the Dudley North ban by preventing alcohol being drunk in public places, apart from licensed premises.

The new order will also give police officers more powers to prevent alcohol being drunk on the streets, by confiscating and disposing of any alcohol being drunk in the designated areas.

And if the drinker fails to surrender the alcohol, then they will be committing an offence and could face arrest.

Councillor Julian Ryder, chairman of the licensing and safety committee, said: “I am pleased the licensing committee has approved the application in principle, which I am sure will be welcomed by residents in the area.”

The Upper Gornal and Woodsetton ban area will border the prohibition that covers Sedgley.

Lower Gornal also received a booze ban earlier this year.

The order has been agreed in principle by the committee but will only come into effect once further consultations and public notices have been placed.

At a meeting of Dudley North Area Committee, which first asked for the ban, Dudley Council’s director of corporate resource and area liaison officer, Phil Tart, informed members over 11,500 letters had gone out to households in the are asking for residents views.

The consultation is set to continue for another month.