Positive response on Council's LAPP

Submissions for Council's psychoactive substances policy (called the Local Approved Products Policy or LAPP) closed on Monday 9 June.

21 submissions were received in total from a number of local residents, service providers, and business owners. Council would like to thank all submitters for taking the time to provide your thoughts on this policy.

We also received several submissions from a number of key organisations such as the Waikato District Health Board, South Waikato Show Your Support (Tokoroa Hospital), Putāruru Ministers Association, Tokoroa Police, South Waikato Safer Community Council, Tīrau Community Board, and Pride in Putāruru. These organisations often deal with the fallout and negative effects that surround the use of psychoactive substances and have great insight into the issue; Council appreciates their involvement on this policy.

Submitters may speak to their submissions and other members of the public are welcome to attend.

Council will conduct hearing in late July or early August and Council will release the LAPP in its final form once all submissions have been heard and considered.

"All of the submissions were very positive and in support of the LAPP," said Council's Planning Manager, Alan Moss who has managed the LAPP development process. "There were many comments commending Council for taking the initiative to prepare this policy."

The main push from several submitters was that they would prefer to see psychoactive substances banned completely.

However Mayor Neil Sinclair notes, "Submitters did seem to appreciate that Council could not achieve this under the Act and were in support of the LAPP should approved products re-enter the market, which was great to see."

A large number of submitters have advocated for Council to conduct regular reviews on the policy.

A common recommendation from submitters was for Council to consider installing more CCTV cameras and lighting and security patrol in the CBD, including areas such as taxi stands and bus stops.

A small number of submitters suggested that taxi stands and bus stops should be included in the policy as sensitive sites, as with the Hamilton City Council's LAPP. Council staff did consider this in the preparation of our draft LAPP, however if we were to label these areas sensitive sites it would effectively render the policy unlawful.

"This would eliminate all possible points of sale across our district which is illegal under the Psychoactive Substances Act (2011)," commented Mr Moss.

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