Additional reporting by Oliver Leader de Saxe

A specialist team of officers will be targeting anti-social behaviour hotspots as part of a new £65k scheme.

They have been deployed in areas across Tonbridge and Malling, after it was revealed the council received around 70 reports each month last year.

In the last month, the team has been gathering intelligence on anti-social activities, such as nuisance vehicles, drug taking, drinking in public spaces and illegal use of off-road motorbikes.

They have been deployed by Tonbridge and Malling’s Community Safety Unit – which is staffed by officers from the borough council and Kent Police.

Stephen Jenner, leader of the day team, has already come across drugs, vandalism and fly-tipping in the last few weeks.

“It can be children catapulting animals or reports of underage drinking,” he explained.

“Whatever the council have asked us to look out for.

“Unfortunately fly-tipping seems to be a big one we're coming across.”

They have recently been out and about in Wrotham, Burham, Eccles, Leybourne and East Peckham.

Their presence on the streets is also set to deter offenders and provide public reassurance.

Mr Jenner added: “I think we've got two excellent teams. We're both building up very good rapport.

“The big challenge for us was to get to know the area and build people's trust.

“They were a bit suspicious of us at first. Now we're overcoming that and they are starting to open up to us.”

The officers have the power to confiscate alcohol and issue fixed notices of £100 to those caught breaching public space protection orders (PSPO) in parks and open spaces.

Councillor Des Keers, cabinet lead for communities, said: “We know that the summer months and lighter evenings often see an increase in reports of anti-social behaviour.

“This can be anything from excessive noise which disturbs residents to dangerous activities on public land involving cars or motorbikes.

“We are committed to doing all we can to reduce these and other nuisance activities.

“Over the coming months, we will use reports from the public to build a picture of where there are persistent problems and deploy our team to tackle it quickly and efficiently.”

There are currently six officers employed – half carry out patrols during the day and the other at night.

The Conservative councillor hopes this will increase if the trial is successful.

“I want a lot more officers doing this scheme, but we have to start somewhere,” he said. “It's quite innovative.

“I don't think there's anywhere else in Kent doing a scheme like this.

“What I'd like to do is double the size, even triple the number of these officers.

“At the end of October, we're going to review the whole process. But I think first and foremost, it's getting the feet on the street.”

Since its rollout on Wednesday, April 3, Mr Keers says they have already received positive feedback – especially in areas such as Snodland.

The town has been prone to anti-social behaviour before.

Four teenagers were arrested during a dispersal order in June last year and a flat in Pollyfields Close was shut down following a spate of “criminal and nuisance behaviour”.

The trial scheme is costing the council £65,000 for a total of six months.

Any income raised from the issuing of penalties will be reinvested in the work of the community safety team.

“The fact is we can afford to do it this year,” Mr Keers added. “What price do you put on the safety of the community?

“I think it's good value for money and I’ll do everything I can to make sure that this is not just a one-off.”