More police officers will be patrolling a town as part of a new campaign cracking down on street drinking and anti-social behaviour.

Gravesham council said residents and businesses across the borough had told them they wanted these issues, as well as litter and the general appearance of the town, tackled.

In response, the local authority and partner organisations have launched the Creating Cleaner, Safer Streets campaign.

Leader of the council, Cllr John Burden, said: “A cleaner, healthier, safer town will encourage more visitors, both residents and those from further afield, and boost business and pride in the borough.

“This new campaign is intended to make a real difference. It is a long-term commitment from multiple agencies.”

It will focus on community safety, licensing issues, street drinking and anti-social behaviour, with an ongoing increased police presence in the town.

However, Cllr Burden added residents also need to help out as they can not expect official bodies to do it all.

He said: “It is a sobering fact that our street cleaning teams collect eight tonnes of litter and fly-tipped waste a day across the borough – that is 2,080 tonnes a year.

“They are on the streets working all day, seven days a week, but while people continue to drop litter, litter will continue to be a problem.

“You may see a litter-strewn street and question why we as a council are doing nothing about it, but the truth is often that we will have been and cleaned that street very recently, only for people to come along and drop their rubbish in our wake.

“Our teams cannot be everywhere all of the time, which is why we are so grateful to our Street Champions, ordinary members of the public who take great pride in their borough and their neighbourhood. We need more like them to come forward.”

Already 500 volunteers have been recruited with the hope this will reach 1,000 as part of the campaign. To volunteer click here.

The council is also looking to crack down on street drinking in the town centre by stepping up its Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) and using government funding to increase security in the town centre.

There will also be an increased police presence with officers looking to tackle shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Burden added: “A small number of people are having a detrimental impact on our town, and we cannot let that continue.

“Not only will our colleagues at Kent Police be stepping up enforcement, but we are also looking at ways of redesigning open areas such as St Andrew’s Gardens to make them less attractive to street drinkers and more welcoming to families.

“That is not a quick fix, but work is well underway to make it happen.

“This is just the start. One of the borough’s greatest strengths has always been its sense of community.

“We aim to harness that and work together to be proud to be Gravesham.”