We weren't at all surprised to read (The Argus, March 10) that Regency ward, where we are standing for election in May, came highest in the whole of Sussex for every category of crime apart from criminal damage and firearms offences.

Now that the problem has been quantified, what can be done to tackle it?

Sussex Police is the most obvious body to offer a solution. However, we have given the matter some thought and would like to offer five ideas to set the ball rolling.

Firstly, we would tame "wild West Street" by introducing much harsher penalties for nightclubs that don't clamp down on bad behaviour.

Secondly, we would "bring back the bobby" by the Clock Tower, one of Brighton's busiest pedestrian junctions.

Thirdly, we would pay significantly more attention to often-forgotten small crimes, as pioneered by Rudy Giuliani in New York, by, say, using traffic wardens to catch litterbugs.

Fourthly, we would call for homeless hostels to be spread more evenly around the city.

Lastly and most importantly, we would put more trust in the recommendations of residents' and traders' organisations.

Neither silence nor sweeping statements will fix the problem.

A series of pragmatic solutions in a general direction is the way to go.

Robert S Nemeth and
Michael Macfarlane
prospective Conservative candidates
Regency Ward, Brighton