POLICE and Crime Commissioner for Gwent Jeff Cuthbert has said he will discuss plans to tackle anti-social behaviour in Newport city centre with Gwent Police’s chief constable, following a councillor’s impassioned plea.

Last month a letter was sent by the manager of Newport Business Improvement District highlighting concerns around public safety, anti-social behaviour and street begging to the Chief Constable of Gwent Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent (PCC) as well as the chief executive of Newport City Council, the leader of Newport City Council, and the editor of the South Wales Argus.

At a meeting of the Gwent Police and Crime Panel on Friday, Newport City councillor William Routley (Langstone ward) asked the PCC to meet with those concerned about the issue to offer reassurance.

Cllr Routley claimed the public perception from traders was that control of policing had been “lost” in the city centre. He told the meeting: “The public perception is dire, that we have lost control of our city centre.

“The chief constable needs to address this but I am addressing you today and I am asking you as the commissioner to come and meet with the BID, with councillors and local people to reassure us that through your office bringing power to bear upon the police, that they will start to regain the streets of Newport so that traders can trade and families can walk without fear of being abused or violently attacked.”

In response, Mr Cuthbert said he was aware of the concerns.

He said the issue was about how the chief constable of Gwent Police deploys his resources, adding: “I do discuss the impact of deployment on a regular basis when I get feedback of the sort that I have had and I will return to him following your intervention now, again, to see exactly what plans he has.”

Mr Cuthbert said that it was important to give reassurance to traders and residents, and that he was happy to meet to discuss the issues.

He added: “I know he (the chief constable) has tasked superintendent Ian Roberts to engage with Newport BID and to look at the issues and how the police can best respond to them.”

A total of 15 new officers will join the city centre policing team, with the first batch of five arriving in June, followed by five in July and five in September.