WIRRAL Council has pledged to do more to curb the growing problem of anti-social behaviour across the borough by investing £365,000 into tackling the issue.

The funding was announced during a meeting of the authority’s ruling cabinet on Tuesday night, when Labour councillors set the budget for the next year.

Anti-social behaviour has become a major issue in parts of Wirral in recent months, no more so in Birkenhead, described as the “Beirut of the north” by the town’s MP Frank Field.

Mr Field - who has been working closely with council leader Cllr Phil Davies – declared war on the yob culture back in October, claiming it was destroying the town.

It is hoped the new package of measures – due to be approved by full council on February 24 – will be a major step forward in reducing the problem.

The £365,000 will be invested in a comprehensive range of programmes and schemes with the police to help tackle problems of anti-social behaviour.

£100,000 will be spent on additional CCTV, mobile recording and monitoring, while additional ASBO enforcement and environmental health officers will be recruited.

Cllr Davies said £100,000 will also be spent on strengthening enforcement and education on unruly dogs and fouling. £15,000 will also be given to each of the borough’s constituency committees to help them come up with their own ideas.

Cllr Davies told the Globe: “This is the most comprehensive package I have seen since I have been on the council for tackling anti-social behaviour.

“It’s directly in response to the complaints we get to the council from residents about this problem in different areas of the borough.”

The budget was approved unanimously by cabinet on Tuesday and is expected to be rubber-stamped at a meeting of the full council on February 24.

Cllr Davies added: “As soon as it has been ratified by full council we can get on with starting to implement these measures.

“We need to work closely with the police but I really do think this package of measures will make a major impact on this problem which is one of the main issues that we do get from residents now in many parts of the borough.

“This is in direct response to those people who have said ‘Please do something’.”

Speaking to the Globe in October, Mr Field said he wants to “return Birkenhead to what it was and reverse it from becoming Beirut because that’s what we have got in places.”

Figures published at the time by the Birkenhead Constituency Committee revealed that more than 8,000 incidents of anti-social  behaviour were reported between April 1,2013 and September 18, 2014.

Mr Field added: “It’s so distressing the stories that are coming in. They are decent people who pay their taxes and the yob culture is winning. We have got to make sure the yob culture is beaten as soon as possible.”