A BID to have to stop people drinking on the streets in the whole of Newport failed to win enough support.

Currently, there are alcohol designation orders - designed to crackdown on booze-fuelled disorder - in force in Caerleon, Ringland and the city centre.

Labour Cllr Ron Jones appealed to fellow members to extend the ban to the whole city but his motion was defeated by 23 votes to 17 with one absention.

Cllr Jones explained he and fellow Pill councillor Ibrahim Hayatt originally intended to seek an order for their ward but then decided it was a more widespread problem.

"This is a creeping cancer that's been crawling through Newport for a number of years."

He told the full council that there were people drinking in every nook and cranny in Pill. Drunks were lying around, throwing cans all over the place and being abusive to people walking by.

"I think it's about time this council stood up for the people of Newport and said 'we can't take any more'."

Opposition leader Cllr Bob Bright was among those supporting the proposed measure to deal with what he described as a "scourge".

Cllr David Fouweather, cabinet member for community safety, sympathised with Cllr Jones but felt to extend the ban throughout the city would not be reasonable or practical.

Council leader Matthew Evans said according to Home Office guidelines, such blanket bans would be considered disproportionate to the intended purpose.

Earlier in the meeting, Newport's divisional police commander Kevin Price said it was tempting to see the legisation as a panacea for all problems of alcohol abuse.

He added there was no doubt there had been a significant benefit to the three areas in the city where orders were in place but it did cause displacement problems where people moved on to drink in other areas.

Councils have powers to ban drinking

Alcohol designation orders are intended to tackle problems caused by drinking in public places.

Local authorities have to be satisfied that an area proposed for designation does have a history of anti-social drinking and disorder.

They have to consult with a range of bodies including the police and land owners as well as advertise the orders.

Police have the power to confiscate any open can or bottle from anyone drinking in the street. They can arrest anyone who refuses and offenders face fines of up to £500.