Authorities to face student questions over river safety policy

An open question and answer session on student drinking with seven key figures has been announced today.

William Mills and Sam Taylor, Criminology third years at Hatfield, have organised an open question and answer session on student drinking called: “How can we keep students safe?”

The pair hope students will be able to put questions directly to key figures in the growing debate over river safety.

They said: “Our decision to create the event is based on a concern students have been left with unanswered questions.

“What the discussion hopes to achieve is to give a real student voice, in a debate over student alcohol consumption which has become ever polarised.

“This is an opportunity for pragmatic discussion, to which students’ opinions and concerns will be taken on board by the key stakeholders on our panel.

“We hope the discussion can lead to future actionable, pragmatic and sustainable solutions to a topic that is at the heart of student matters.”

William Mills and Sam Taylor

The debate comes amid a crackdown on student drinking, an independent river safety report and growing concern by students.

The session will be chaired by Professor Fiona Measham, a leading expert in the field of Drugs, Alcohol and the Night Time Economy, and the Director of a non-profit organisation aimed at reducing drug and alcohol related harm.

She will be joined by Mike Barton, of Durham Constabulary, who has called for students to behave.

He said, after the tragic death of Euan Coulthard, “I was incensed when I heard some representatives of the student body saying the answer is for more police officers.

“It is ludicrous that society is asking me to put police officers on the riverbank to stop ‘bright young things’ falling in.”

Professor Measham will chair the event

Chairperson of the city anti-drinking team, Best Bar None, Robert Humphreys, and the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Graham Towl will also appear.

Graham Towl got it spectacularly wrong on river drinking this year, falsely claiming anti-social behaviour was rising.

Additionally Carol Feenan, Durham City Centre Manager, who conceded “drinking…is not as bad as it was” will also be present.

The Chairmen of Pubwatch Durham; Durham City Safety Group and a manager of local Portman Group, will also appear.

The Tab will be live-blogging the event on the 29th April at 15:00.