Brighton and Hove is booming as a vibrant seaside city with plenty of entertainment, shops and cafes.

But the problems with crime, graffiti, begging, drugs, drunkenness, vandalism, litter and traffic make many people feel the city is unsafe.

Some of these problems, such as drug abuse, cause great misery. Others are more minor, such as litter and fly-posting, but still have the effect of dragging down a whole area if unchecked.

That's why many organisations have come together in the Safer Streets initiative.

They include the city council, the police, traders and operators of major services such as rubbish collection. They are using all the tools at their disposal from sophisticated devices such as CCTV cameras to basic items such as brooms.

All of them have a common interest in making Brighton and Hove look and feel good. This has the welcome effect of bringing more people into the city to enjoy its unique attractions.

The extra money they spend enables both the private and public sectors to invest more heavily in improving services for both tourists and residents.

They can achieve a lot together. But they need the support of ordinary people to report problems and make it clear they too will not tolerate the city's ills.