Councils have stepped up the fight against alcohol-fuelled crime to improve community safety and drive down massive costs.

Just days after the home secretary admitted being afraid to walk in London streets, Staffordshire CC revealed a £550m bill from drink and drug abuse.

The cost was revealed in a comprehensive substance misuse report by the council.

Council leader, John Taylor, said he was shocked at the findings outlined in the report, which highlighted how many vulnerable people were at risk.

‘We are making good progress on organising a spring summit that will bring together all the agencies dealing with substance misuse later this year,' he said.

‘The report also supports the need for us to build on the things we've already achieved.

‘We'll be bringing together senior figures to decide what we can do as a group to effectively reduce the cause and effects of drug and alcohol misuse.'

The report findings include:

It came as Havering LBC became the second authority in England to use tough new legal powers under Section 53A of the Licensing Act 2003. This followed an application by the police following a raid on a Romford nightclub which revealed ‘widespread and blatant' drug use, and a high level and frequency of violence.

Lead cabinet member for public protection, Cllr Peter Gardner, told The MJ: ‘By doing this, we are sending a clear message. Crime figures are now reducing in Havering, and this is in part down to the licensing laws.'