CCTV cameras will help

Insp Richard Allum said the cameras, which could be installed this summer, would help spot problems in the High Street as people moved from one venue to another. But gangs did not normally congregate in this part of town and so would not be driven elsewhere.

Hotspots for those troubles tended to be at places like Luxford Field, the Victoria playing fields, Hempstead Lane playground and at the Browns Lane underpass, which was the subject of a story in the Express last week.

Town and district councillor Martha Whittle who opposed a decision by the town council to set aside 10,000 towards the cameras said she feared that problems like those at Browns Lane where youngsters gathered to drink and smash bottles would get worse when the cameras were installed.

The police have been patrolling known trouble spots in recent weeks and after the additional concern in Browns Lane promised to start writing letters to parents of youngsters found congregating.

Insp Allum said he was very pleased the town council had allocated the 10,000 towards High Street CCTV.

He was in discussion with the Wealden Crime and Disorder Partnership in the hope of receiving matched funding from them and was planning to write to Chamber of Commerce members asking for donations towards the system. About 33,000 was needed, he said.