During this time of year, pubs and social venues are busier than usual, often filled with people who may not frequently venture out and could be more vulnerable.
The Council’s Community Safety Team has been actively collaborating with partner agencies and all licensed premises in the area to ensure employees are trained and aware of how to effectively assist those who may find themselves in vulnerable situations.
‘Be SMART and SAFE when planning your Christmas get-together in RCT!’
To help keep the top tips at the front of your mind when out and about the team have put together a SMART way to stay SAFE!
Scores – Always check the score on the door when choosing a spot for your Christmas feast – we have plenty of 5-rated businesses in RCT! Visit Scores on the Doors – Official Food Hygiene Ratings to check the food hygiene rating before making your booking!
Measures – Did you know that certain drinks such as beer, gin, whisky, rum, vodka and wine can only be sold in specific quantities?
Our Trading Standards officers regularly inspect pubs and clubs to ensure that your drinks aren’t being short measured and are accurately described. If you order a Gordan’s then you don’t want to be served a Fred’s! Counterfeit alcohol can have serious consequences and include allergens that could be fatal. That’s why the dedicated teams are working to keep you safe all round – not just at Christmas. Find details of the requirements for businesses here: Selling alcohol in licensed premises | Business Companion
Ask for Angela – Feel unsafe or uncomfortable on your night out? Ask for ‘Angela’ at the bar to discreetly alert staff that you need help!
The “Ask for Angela” campaign, which originated from Lincolnshire County Council in 2016, provides a discreet way for individuals to signal that they need help.
The campaign allows anyone feeling unsafe or uncomfortable in bars and other venues to use the codeword “Ask for Angela” to discreetly indicate that they require assistance. This could involve reuniting them with a trusted friend, arranging a taxi, or calling venue security or the police.
The Council’s Community Safety Team and Licensing Team actively collaborate with all licensed premises in the area all year round, to ensure that employees are trained and aware of how to effectively assist those who may find themselves in vulnerable situations.
More information about the scheme is available here: Home – Ask For Angela
Report it- Residents should be able to enjoy their celebrations without having to tolerate antisocial behaviour.
If you see it, report it to South Wales Police: https://www.south-wales.police.uk/ro/report/asb/asb-v3/report-antisocial-behaviour/. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, dial 999.
Taxi – Get home safe, only use a licensed taxi! Check the plates and send a photo to a friend so they know you’re travelling home safely.
The message is very clear from the Council’s Licensing Team – Bogus Taxis and Cowboy Cabbies are not welcome in RCT and they will be held accountable and prosecuted as previous cowboys have discovered. The team regularly carry out spot checks and act on any information that they are given. Public safety and confidence to use regulated and licensed taxis is of utmost importance. Licensed drivers and vehicles go through rigorous checks to ensure they meet standards in place to protect the needs and safety of the public. Unlicensed drivers who undermine that trust will be robustly dealt with to maintain public confidence and ensure public safety.
If you are using a taxi in Rhondda Cynon Taf remember the following to keep you safe:
To report an unlicensed taxi driver, please contact the licensing team by email licensing.section@rctcbc.gov.uk or on 01443 425001.
All Libraries is Rhondda Cynon Taf are also home to the Safe Places scheme, which operates all year around, during daylight hours – Safe Places, which is a national scheme, facilitated by the Council and Cwm Taf People First, establishes locations offering help to someone if they encounter a problem or difficulties when out and about in the community, with the help of trained staff. The local scheme in Rhondda Cynon Taf is supported by South Wales Police and is now available to all adults who feel they need a safe place to go.
People or families who feel they might benefit from the Safe Places scheme can request an application form to sign up. These are available by emailing Cwm Taf People First on enquiries@rctpeoplefirst.org.uk or by calling 01443 757954.
The Council is also reminding party goers that RCT has a strict Alcohol-related Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), which has been in place across the County Borough for over six years.
The PSPO dedicates all of Rhondda Cynon Taf as a Controlled Drinking Zone to give Authorised Officers powers to control alcohol-related anti-social behaviour across the County Borough – this means Authorised Officers can therefore request that a person hands over their alcohol and stops drinking if they are causing, or are likely to cause, anti-social behaviour. The maximum penalty for non-compliance is £100.
If someone is found drinking alcohol within the 2 ‘Designated No Alcohol Zones’ in Aberdare and Pontypridd Town Centres, Officers have the powers to take open containers of alcohol from a person. If they refuse to hand over the alcohol, they will receive a Fixed Penalty Notice of £100. Individuals who have been warned and continue to drink within the Town Centres face further enforcement action including a Community Protection Notice banning them from the Town Centre.
Aberdare’s ‘no alcohol zone’ includes the town centre, Sobell site and its playing fields (the Ynys), Aberdare Railway Station and Gadlys Pit Car Park. The zone in Pontypridd includes the town centre, Ynysangharad War Memorial Park, and the railway and bus stations. These zones also apply to the use of intoxicating substances, not just alcohol.
Councillor Bob Harris, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Communities, said:
“Ensuring a Safe Festive Season for all is always the main priority.The Council encourages everyone to stay safe while enjoying the festive season. On-street drinking is a BIG NO in RCT and we ask party-goers to keep the alcohol for inside the licenced premises. Whether out with friends, having lunch or on a date that is not going as planned, individuals should not hesitate to use “Ask for Angela” to ensure their safety.
“Another key thing to remember is to make sure that you’re getting into a licenced taxi – share your location with family/friends take a picture of the licence plates – let the driver see that you have recorded the journey. Never feel silly about being over cautious, it could just save your life!”
For more information about the “Ask for Angela” campaign and how it works, please visit https://www.met.police.uk/AskforAngela.
For more information on Safe Places, please contact Cwm Taf People First on enquiries@rctpeoplefirst.org.uk or by calling 01443 757954.
For more information on Community Safety visit www.rctcbc.gov.uk/CommunitySafety
Let’s work together to ensure that everyone can enjoy a safe and joyful festive season.
