A bid to curb anti-social drinking in Ashford town centre has moved a step closer.

A meeting of Ashford Borough Council last Thursday gave the green light to move to the final stage to introduce a Designated Public Places Order (DPPO) for Ashford town centre, surrounding parks and open spaces.

The move follows consultation with local groups on the Kent Police led initiative.

Councillors agreed to publish a legal notice of the council’s intention to make the Order which gives the public 28 days to respond on whether the Order should be made or not. The consultation period will end on May 29.

If the responses are positive the council expect the Order to be up and running by July.

Ashford police have pledged to make resources available to enforce the Order and will be contributing half the £10,000 implementation costs, which will be mainly for signs.

The proposed DPPO will cover the whole of Ashford town centre including Victoria Park, the areas around the railway station, the Civic Centre and Stour Centre, Queen Mother’s Park and the Bowens Field wetlands.

A DPPO gives police wider powers to deal with alcohol related nuisance, making it an offence for anyone to drink alcohol after being asked by a police officer not to do so.

It also provides powers for the police to confiscate and dispose of alcohol in any person’s possession and arrest them if they fail to comply with the officer’s request.

Cllr Michael Claughton, portfolio holder for licensing and community safety, said: “As we have stressed before, a Designated Public Places Order is not a comprehensive ban on drinking in the open air.

“It will not affect people enjoying a social drink in a public area or park in a considerate and responsible manner.”