Considerable progress has been made implementing a plan to tackle the district’s problem with alcohol abuse but significant challenges remain, a report before a council committee reveals.

Bradford Council’s Safer and Stronger Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee will be asked to note the progress and remaining challenges and re-affirm to the Council and its partners that alcohol misuse is a key priority for the district.

Councillors are asked to recommend the reallocation of some drug treatment money to alcohol treatment and push for further funding for primary care alcohol workers, a request which has previously been declined by the district’s primary care trust.

Challenges include implementing the findings of an alcohol-needs assessment at a time of restricted resources, a possible increase in harmful drinking as a result of the recession and financial pressures putting at risk activities such as young people’s prevention services.

Urgent needs for the district include replicating Bradford Royal Infirmary’s clinical nurse specialist and alcohol worker project at Airedale Hospital, Steeton.

Excessive drinking has been blamed for a large number of deaths, chronic illnesses, violent crime and anti-social behaviour in the district and the costs to the health services in Bradford is £27 million a year. Work to tackle the problem locally is co-ordinated by the partnership Alcohol Strategy Implementation Group.

It has seen the successful implementation of a raft of initiatives to tackle the harm caused by alcohol including a successful alcohol awareness week and conference in the district and the securing of funding for many projects including a second alcohol clinical nurse specialist at BRI and new warning signs placed in parts of the city centre to remind street drinkers the area is an alcohol free zone.

The committee meets at 5.15pm tomorrow in committee room four at City Hall, Bradford, to debate the issues.