A council has started issuing community protection warnings in a bid to cut down anti-social behaviour.

Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council is hoping the new initiative will reduce street drinking, and noise complaints as well as moving on those who are rough sleeping.

Street drinking, rough sleeping and excessive noise are just some of the issues that need tackling in Tonbridge

The scheme has already come into effect in the town centre in the doorway of the former Mid Kent Bed Centre.

The spot used to house rough sleepers but since the warnings have come into effect they have been able to find temporary accommodation.

The council is hoping this will be the trend across the borough.

Chief executive of homeless charity, The Bridge Trust, John Handley says the system is creating a misconception of those who are rough sleeping.

He said: "If someone is rough sleeping in the corner of wherever, in the dark recesses of a shopping centre or even an industrial estate, and they are keeping out of the way and keeping themselves to themselves that is not anti social behaviour.

"It is the behaviour that may arise from rough sleeping or drinking, or both, which is the problem.

"Therefore to put anti-social behaviour onto just rough sleepers and homeless people it is a misconception and it is wrong, and we need to dissuade people from that point of view to start with."

The council has received funding from central government this year under it's rough sleeper initiative and it's rapid rehousing pathway scheme, worth £100,000.

Cllr Matt Boughton (con) insists there is not just an emphasis on moving on homeless people but on finding them accommodation as well.

He said: "There is an awful sort of housing crisis in our community including here in Tonbridge and a lot of people are homeless without noticing they are homeless.

"Rough sleeping is something totally different and it is something we want to eliminate as much as possible.

"Of course some people have it better in life and that is something we are all used too, but fundamentally the issue is where you are rough sleeping.

"If you become a magnet for anti social behaviour that’s when notices have to be put in and sadly that’s what happened here in Tonbridge in the last view weeks."

Tunbridge Wells borough council introduced public space protection orders around a year ago which allowed them to dish out fines for people begging or sleeping rough.

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