A bigger police presence will help improve a troubled area, says an MP.

Lloyd Russell Moyle has spoken out over claims the “filthy” St James’s Street area of Brighton is suffering open drug use and dealing.

The Kemptown MP said: “Low level antisocial behaviour and drug taking makes any area unpleasant.

“Community policing in the form of PCSOs who really know the area and are on patrol at crucial times, such as Friday and Saturday nights, would make a big difference.

“It has to be consistent though and not a revolving door.

“Operation Blitz, which has been in force in Peacehaven for the past ten months has seen a 30 per cent decrease in crime rates.

“But if this is removed from Peacehaven and moved on to Kemp Town, it is quite clear what will happen once it stops.”

Meanwhile the “filthy streets” have been blamed on funding cuts and rising homelessness

St James’s Street resident Daniel Fyne shared a picture of needles and other drug litter discarded in a pile on the steps of Morrisons supermarket, which was used in yesterday’s Argus.

He expressed his outrage and is calling for contractors Cityclean to improve the regularity and standard of cleaning on the streets.

Posting on Facebook as Obi Wan Joffo and claiming to be a council employee, one person wrote: “As a street cleaner articles like this annoy me.

“Over the last five years, funding and resources have been cut and yet we are still expected to keep the city up to the same level of cleanliness as to the year prior.”

Mr Joffo stated he has been working as a street cleaner for over a decade and believes the deterioration of cleanliness standards in the city is linked to the homeless population.

He wrote: “There are more and more homeless people on our streets who do not care where they discard their used needles, throw their rubbish or where they use the toilet.”

When contacted about the needle haul found in St James’s Street, a council spokesman said: “Safely disposing of drug needles and other hazardous waste is a top priority for us and we are committed to removing them within an hour of us being notified.”

In this instance, the police were notified but were unable to remove the pile, which was eventually cleared up by Morrisons supermarket staff.

The St James’s Street area was top of the agenda at a recent AGM of the local community action group, which Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne attended.

Residents complained at the meeting about the apparent lack of police presence on the streets and failure of officers to arrive at the scene of a reported crime quickly enough to make arrests.