DUDLEY licensing councillors have voted to recommend lifting an order to prevent drink-related crime in Stourbridge town centre.

The council’s Licensing and Safety Committee heard the town centre, which had been subject to a Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) policy since 2006, is now a safer place and the order was not required.

The committee, which met on November 7, was told police had no evidence to support continuing the CIA which creates a presumption that  permission for new licences will be refused if relevant representations are received unless the venue can show it would not lead to problems.

In a report for the committee, Dudley’s director of environment, Nick McGurk, said: “I am of the opinion that the decision set out in the CIA is no longer valid and that a special policy in relation to licensed premises within the designated area is no longer required.”

Stourbridge’s MP, Cat Eccles, was among a number of consultees who wanted to keep the order in place and her concerns were shared by some councillors on the committee.

Councillor Elaine Taylor said: “I am concerned if we take it away it will go back to what it was, this plan has been in operation for years and it shows it is working as there is hardly anything happening there so I think it would be irresponsible just to take it away.”

Dudley licensing officer Nick Slym was quick to reassure councillors every application is closely scrutinised.

He said: “We look at each application in detail and if it is one that poses any risk we sit down with police, fire, environmental health, public health, children’s services and make it as tight as possible whether the CIA is there or not.”

Councillor Karl Denning added: “I remember what Stourbridge used to be like, people stopped going because they didn’t feel safe.

“I was in Stourbridge a couple of weeks ago and didn’t see any violence or drug use, it feels a lot safer there.

“I’d say the culture has changed, it has become a polite drinking place.”

The committee voted to recommend removing the order which will now go before the council’s cabinet for consideration ahead of a decision by full council.