LOUGHTON’S top police officer claims he is winning the war against anti-social behaviour in the town.

But Inspector Tom Simons, addressing a meeting of the town council, said he was disappointed on the lack of uptake for a shop link scheme, in the Broadway.

Mr Simons told councillors his biggest concern for his patch was anti-social behaviour, and said he had secured £24,000 of extra funding to place 17 extra officers on the streets every Friday and Saturday night throughout the summer period.

He added: “Halloween is coming up. I've applied for funding of £10,000 for a range of diversionary activities. It's quite a large scale project.”

Admitting there had been a recent rise in burglary he said: "There's been a force-wide response. There's been a large increase in policing.”

Mr Simons said there had been a lack of support for a Town Link scheme in the Broadway which would see shops in radio contact with each other to report potential trouble.

He said: "We need a minimum of 12 shops and there's a minimal financial cost. The radio reception is very poor in the Debden area. The best location [for a receiver] would be Sainsbury's, and they're not interested in doing it.”

Mr Simons also said he had received little support from other large chain stores for the scheme, adding: ”Because they're such large chains, the store manager doesn't have the power to say 'I'm prepared to make the involvement’.”

Cllr David Wixley said: “I'm certainly pleased to hear you have secured extra officers.”

Cllr Rodney Barrett said: “You must be doing something right. There's no reports of disturbance in pubs and the High Road. On a personal note I don't see many officers going down they High Road and side streets.”