The Government's homelessness tsar praised the Argus campaign to stop begging when she visited Brighton yesterday.

Louise Casey was attending the launch of a new "multi-agency" approach to rough sleeping and street nuisance at which the police, councillors and Government representatives agreed to make a determined effort to drastically reduce homelessness and put an end to begging in the town.

The group has decided to set up an "alternative giving fund" in which residents will be asked to donate money in shops, bars and restaurants, which will go toward charities which help the homeless. At the same time, they will be asked not to give to beggars.

In addition, twelve new emergency beds will be opened in St Patrick's hostel for the homeless next Monday. And £100,000 of the £437,000 Brighton received from the Government's Rough Sleepers Unit in August will be put towards helping long-term homeless people with drug and alcohol problems.

After the meeting at the King's House, in Grand Avenue, yesterday afternoon, Ms Casey said: "I would like to congratulate The Argus. It is very good that the newspaper has given a lot of coverage to what is a very important issue. It is not helpful to sustain people on the streets - we need to get them to places where they can receive help.

"We also want to ensure that people arriving in Brighton are not hassled by people begging around the station. We need to say 'this is not on any more'."

Also at the meeting was Home Office minister Lord Bassam, the former leader of Brighton and Hove Council, who has supported many homeless charities.

He said: "I would like to see a more positive street culture in Brighton and less harassment of people by beggars and Big Issue sellers." He also said he was delighted with The Argus campaign, as did council leader Lynette Gwyn-Jones who said: "If The Argus had not run this campaign now we would have approached the paper and asked them to do something similar."

During the meeting three demonstrators were standing outside, clutching a banner reading: "I give to beggars - stop the witch hunt". One of them, Andy Player, a member of the Socialist Worker Student Society at Brighton University said: "Although the reporting was fairly balanced we are concerned because there are enough attacks on gays in this town without attacks on beggars."

Simon Young, a member of the Brighton Users Group for people with drink and drug problems, said: "The Argus is marginalising a vulnerable section of society."