Community Alcohol Partnerships (CAP) aimed at tackling underage drinking will be significantly expanded with an increased budget and will be run under the leadership of the government’s communities adviser Baroness Newlove.

Retailers, producers and trade bodies are to invest over £800,000 in CAP as part of their commitment to the health Responsibility Deal. The partnerships are endorsed by the government and bring together local retailers, trading standards and police to tackle underage drinking and associated anti-social behaviour. The partners share information and training to encourage risk-based enforcement and resolve local problems and swiftly and effectively. 

Baroness Newlove has agreed to chair an Advisory Board leading the roll-out of the partnerships. She said: “I am very pleased to lead the roll out of Community Alcohol Partnerships as they are a tried and tested way of driving down underage drinking and associated antisocial behaviour. I advocate local solutions to local problems, and this partnership working based on the road map of successful CAPs will allow us to get a grip on this costly issue.”

Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) chief executive James Lowman said: “We are delighted to increase our commitment to CAP and we look forward to ensuring that convenience retailers, and especially smaller businesses, play a central role in partnerships up and down the country.”

Health secretary Andrew Lansley said the extension of CAPs was “an excellent example of the Responsibility Deal, demonstrating a new effective way of tackling alcohol misuse.”