THE crackdown on anti-social behaviour is to be stepped up in Darlington.
Town MP Alan Milburn has sent a survey to 1,100 people on the Firthmoor estate to gauge their views on the problem and how it is tackled.
Once questionnaires have been completed, Mr Milburn said he planned to hold a public meeting.
"A great deal of work has been done in Darlington, but there is still more to do," he said. "I want to make sure that the tiny minority are not allowed to continue to blight the lives of the law-abiding majority."
Meanwhile, an anti-social behaviour investigation desk is to be set up in Darlington police station. Durham Police's chief constable, Paul Garvin, revealed the move at a meeting with councillors in Darlington this week.
He said it would allow for "a much more Darlington-specific response", adding: "We do have a hard core of 64 or 65 problem offenders."
However, Conservative group leader Tony Richmond told Mr Garvin: "People come to me and say they feel like they are living in a war zone and police are losing the battle against thugs."
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