Supporting local action

Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADPs)

AFS works with local ADPs across Scotland to support them in effectively implementing national policy at local level.

The Scottish Government has funded an AFS post to support this area of work until October 2018. Much of our support to date has been around influencing local licensing policy and encouraging communities to get involved in the licensing process. 

We develop practical tools such as the licensing toolkit which many ADPs have used when working with licensing boards on their policies, and a community licensing toolkit to help people understand and navigate the licensing process. We are particularly grateful for the support of Edinburgh and Glasgow community members in road-testing this toolkit.

Lanarkshire ADP helped us trial our affected by alcohol, while in North Ayrshire we have been working with people recovering from alcohol problems to better understand the barriers to recovery.

ADP networking events

We regularly hold events to bring ADP coordinators together to talk about current alcohol issues and share ideas.

The most recent networking event on Tuesday 5 December 2017 focused on preventing alcohol-related deaths.

Local councillors

Alcohol Focus Scotland is calling on Scotland’s councillors to find out more about the impact of alcohol locally, and champion effective action to prevent and reduce alcohol harm.  

7 actions for local councillors on alcohol-related harm

• Find out how alcohol impacts on your local area - read our local alcohol harm factsheets
• Sign up to Alcohol Focus Scotland's monthly newsletter (scroll to bottom of this page)
• Visit a local alcohol support service
• Meet with your local Alcohol & Drug Partnership to find out what's being done to reduce alcohol harm in your community
• Attend your local licensing forum or licensing board meeting
• Champion the inclusion of effective measures to reduce alcohol harm in local strategies
• Use your local media to raise awareness of alcohol-related harm