'Public outcry' sank free gym passes for drunken louts
PLANS to give drunken troublemakers free gym passes have been rejected.
Members of Humberside Police Authority said a "public outcry" meant they could not support plans to give offenders the passes.
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ACTION: Police say the need to tackle alcohol-related crime must be addressed sensibly.
Hull Citysafe wanted £29,000 from the authority to mentor and divert convicted criminals, including giving them free gym passes if they stayed out of trouble.
At a meeting of the authority, members voted to award the money to Citysafe – as long as none of the money was spent on gym passes.
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City councillor and authority member Mike Ross said: "The fact there was a public outcry showed this was not the right road to go down.
"It is not sensible to go ahead with a method that would lose the confidence and support of the public.
"There is a need to tackle alcohol-related crime, but it has to be done in a sensible manner."
Vicky Harris, head of substance misuse and offender health at Citysafe, said the scheme would enable offenders to replace drinking with the "natural high" of exercise.
It formed part of a request to the police authority for £288,000 to tackle alcohol-related crime across the force area after a "huge increase" in hospital admissions in East Yorkshire.
But the proposals to include gym passes attracted fierce criticism from Mail readers and the Taxpayers' Alliance, who said it would reward criminals.
Mrs Harris told the meeting: "We are suggesting a small amount of money be used to support people that have made significant changes to their lives after six months of treatment.
"They require help and support through a mentor and diversionary activities that will help them to maintain long-term success."
City councillor and authority member Chris Sumpton voted against the plans to fund free gym passes.
He said: "The public have been quite vocal in their disapproval of this idea. They didn't want to see their money going on gym passes for offenders.
"Alcohol-related crime is undoubtedly a problem, but I didn't see the link between exercising and making good decisions when you have had a drink. You don't need a gym pass to exercise, it can be done for free."
Members supported plans to pay £70,000 to Hull Citysafe, which will be used to fund two alcohol health workers and mentor offenders who have completed a court-ordered alcohol treatment requirement.
In the East Riding, £60,000 will be used to set up drink seminars, which will see offenders avoid prosecution if they pay £50 to go on a course. An alcohol health worker will also be hired.
The remaining money will be spent on the south bank.
Comments
by Nicholas83
Wednesday, August 01 2012, 1:57PM
“Whoever dreamed this scheme up in the first place is obviously seriously out of touch with the public's opinion on criminals, and should of conducted a public consultation before demanding money from the public purse.
Why should drunken louts be given free gym memberships if they promise to kick the can and start conforming to the rules the rest of us have to and do live by every day? If they want a gym membership, do what the rest of us do. Get a job, pay for your own gym membership, and enjoy alcohol responsibly with friends (or dont drink if you cant drink responsibly!)”
by dontwo
Wednesday, August 01 2012, 11:07AM
“Pay £50 to go on a course, pretend to the alcohol health worker do gooder you have seen the light and the seminar has made you realise the error of your ways and you avoid prosecution?.
Thats just as daft as the free gym pass. When this amount of money is up for grabs {£70,000}, it seems some people will dream up anything to get it.
Whats wrong with just fining them and letting them feel the full weight of the law if they dont pay? or how about jailing the violent p@ssheads?. Sometimes you know, that shock treatment makes the savable ones think twice a lot more than some alcohol health worker droning on about how many units they should allow themselves.”
by David_Nivea
Wednesday, August 01 2012, 10:51AM
“How about introducing IQ-based drinking permits?
How about preventing supermarkets and off-licences aggressively promoting and shifting industrial quantities of cheap booze all day long?
How about enforcing already extant laws, such as it being illegal to serve anyone who is drunk?
How about closing down anywhere that requires "door supervisors"?
How about chronic alcoholics and 'susbtance misusers' being told that quitting is its own reward and if they don't, it's vivisection time?”
by dascodave
Wednesday, August 01 2012, 10:49AM
“Vicky Harris any thoughts on that resignation request yet?”
by Neg_Dupree
Wednesday, August 01 2012, 10:36AM
“If you are reading this Vicky Harris, head of substance misuse and offender health at Citysafe. You are one of the reasons this country is in the state it is with this softly softly rights for anyone but law abiding citizen policy. If some spesh-head wants to get the 'natural high' they can save up their hard earned benefits get a cheap set of weights from Argos.”
by dascodave
Wednesday, August 01 2012, 10:35AM
“at last this paper has come in usefull..”
by LittleHobbit
Wednesday, August 01 2012, 10:23AM
“Free passes to gyms would not have stopped drunkeness. It would only have produced bigger, more muscled drunks, causing even more trouble.
How about just reinstating limited opening hours”
by DeanHull
Wednesday, August 01 2012, 8:01AM
“Strange? Radio Humberside interviewed a lady representing the police last night and the presenter asked her whether the decision to reject the gym passes was based on the bad press it got and she said 'no'. She also said that she actually backed the free gym pass plans.”
by buornfree
Wednesday, August 01 2012, 7:27AM
“So rite when some of my freinds pay £20/ plus to use them why is it that it is that you work pay your taxes and get nothing back in return get drunk/not work and get every thing for nothing no wonder a lot dont bother looking for jobs THATS if there is any to look for”