The name Poets' Corner has a pleasant ring to it and there's been a good community spirit in this part of Hove.

But there have also been problems, mainly centred on Stoneham Park, the main open space in the district.

Drug addicts and vandals have plagued the park and one shopkeeper had his building torched after he complained about problems. There have also been difficulties caused by traffic going too fast along the busy, narrow roads.

The Poets' Corner Residents' Society, formed only two years ago, has helped to make a difference.

It has held its own festivals and has provided premises in Portland Road where people can meet.

The society has also helped raise thousands of pounds towards renovating the park which has encouraged the council to make a bigger contribution of its own.

Councillors have also agreed to a traffic-calming scheme which is now being constructed in Poets' Corner.

Traffic measures and the newly-renovated park have created an air of confidence in Poets' Corner.

The council and other communities in the city should take note of this local success story to see if it can be applied elsewhere.