While the original timeframe gave councils some wriggle room, committee chair Philippa Baker-Hogan wanted the process accelerated.
Mrs Baker-Hogan has been a strong advocate to have the legal highs banned and told the committee that the working party involved in drafting the LAPP was keen to see the policy in place "sooner rather than later".
However, some councillors were concerned that the council could open itself up to judicial reviews by getting its LAPP in place before the legislation came into effect, as has happened in Hamilton and is likely to happen in Hastings.
Stephanie Rose, policy and corporate planning manager, told the meeting that the August 31 deadline could be met because the policy had already been drafted.
Councillor Sue Westwood had concerns about the LAPP and if it could be construed as a restraint of trade for the two city stores licensed to sell legal highs.
"The cost of putting in place something that's open to challenge needs to be absolutely clear," she said.
Councillor Rob Vinsen said the intent was to get the LAPP done "as early as possible".
"This is an achievable timeframe and shows the community we intend to bring this in place six months earlier," he said.
And he said fears about potential judicial reviews were unfounded because the Government had given local authorities some power to control the sale of legal highs through the LAPP.
"These substances are dangerous and serious. We need to have a policy in place as early as possible and make it as difficult as possible for them to be sold," he said.
NATIONWIDE RALLY
Today Wanganui will join other centres in a nationwide rally to ban the sale and distribution of legal highs.
Councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan, a critic of legal highs, said everyone in the community had a role to play in keeping people safe from dangerous, mind-bending substances.
She said mayor Annette Main will be joining in the peaceful protest from 1pm to 2pm at Majestic Square.