I have received complaints about anti-social behaviour over the years, which successive Governments have failed to address. So I was pleased to welcome the Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan launched this week.

This plan establishes a zero-tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour. The aim is to ensure that everyone can feel safe in their home and we can restore pride in some of our challenged local communities, even here in Shropshire.

These new measures will crack down on offenders with swifter justice, tougher punishments, a ban on nitrous oxide, a stronger policing response in hotspots, and new tools for communities to regenerate and restore local pride.

The government has taken action to combat anti-social behaviour, such as hiring more police officers, funding bespoke policing programmes, and giving councils greater powers to tackle fly-tipping.

But we need to do more to give communities peace of mind and pride in their place. Stamping out anti-social behaviour to help revive hollowed-out high streets and make our streets feel safer for those going about their business.

New measures include cracking down on offenders with swift and visible justice, higher fines, a ban on nitrous oxide, and new laws to tackle organised and nuisance begging. These will strengthen responses to anti-social behaviour with a zero-tolerance approach, increasing drug testing, and making it easier to evict anti-social tenants.

A new digital tool is being launched to report anti-social behaviour, giving councils around the country new powers and funding to revitalise high streets and parks, and encouraging youth clubs to open longer.

This action plan is backed by up to £160 million to ensure perpetrators face immediate justice, support a step up in enforcement in hotspots, fund one million more hours of youth provision, and deliver a new reporting tool to empower the public.

Young people are being supported and diverted from a life of crime through the National Youth Guarantee, the Supported Families Programme, and the Turnaround Programme.

We have the highest number of police officers on record. This month there are 23 per cent more police on duty in West Mercia than 4 years ago – an increase of 467 officers to 2,475 – including more based in South Shropshire.

Reducing anti-social behaviour and crime overall were the top priorities for levelling up in Britain.

Anti-social behaviour is the main reason people do not feel safe in their local area, and almost half of women do not feel safe alone at night. It is also the main reason why people report their area is worse than 10 years ago, followed by more empty shops in our high street and more litter and rubbish on pavements and streets.

The aim is to stem the tide on those causing nuisance.