Residents are concerned about street drinking

Some parts of Cambridge have suffered from a recent rise in street drinking, aggressive begging and prostitution.

Ian Nimmo-Smith, leader of Cambridge City Council, believes the problems can be dealt with through council by-laws.

But Cambridge MP Anne Campbell wants the council to adopt one of the government's Designated Public Places Orders (DPPO) to crack the problems.

She wants the council to talk to Home Office experts about concerns over the Mill Road area of the city.

Begging is discouraged in Cambridge

Ms Campbell said: "A DPPO will give police direct powers to confiscate alcohol in the areas where public drinking is a problem.

"They can also deal with other anti-social behaviour problems.

"The Home Office has built up experience from operation of these orders in 98 local authorities and this is at the disposal of the city council, but they have not called on the experts for help.

"The council can be assured that the orders can work effectively."

But Mr Nimmo-Smith said: "Using a DPPO to deal with the problem just moves it onto another area and we have to get another order to deal with that.

Police build trust

"We are taking the fears of local residents in Mill Road very seriously and have passed a by-law to deal with the anti-social behaviour they face.

"Police are now able to confiscate drink and deal with anti-social behaviour."

Some residents have told the BBC of their concerns particularly over public drinking in the Mill Road area.

Beat officer Pc Mark Rabel told the BBC that in the last six months he had made 120 arrests in the Mill Road area of Cambridge and offences ranged from aggressive begging to serious sexual assault.

"Our main aim is to build relationships with local people, but we have to also deal with six people who are subject to anti-social behaviour orders," he said.