A council officer tasked with reducing anti-social behaviour in Swadlincote town centre has been called to dozens of incidents of shoplifting, criminal damage and public disorder.

South Derbyshire District Council appointed a community safety enforcement officer to focus on issues in the town.

A new report says that since they started in June 2023, they have been called to more than 75 incidents of anti-social behaviour, a "similar number" of shoplifting incidents, more than 30 incidents of criminal damage and a "similar number" of public disorder incidents – all in the past 10 months.

A district council spokesperson said: "Part of South Derbyshire's allocation from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund has been used to employ an additional community safety enforcement officer dedicated to tackling issues in town centres. 

"They were appointed in June 2023 and will operate until the fund concludes in March 2025.

"The role of the community safety enforcement officer is to investigate reports of environmental crimes (such as fly-tipping, dog fouling and littering), to encourage businesses to report incidents, to pursue private owners to maintain their properties and to help to mobilise voluntary environmental support. 

"The officer also enforces the public space protection orders (addressing issues such as street drinking and anti-social behaviour), liaises with town centre businesses to encourage reporting of crime and anti-social behaviour and provides a visible presence in town centres and during events. 

"The proportion of town centre users reporting that they felt safe when visiting Swadlincote town centre has risen over the last year."