Anti-social issues will be tackled in the centre of Margate over the next three days, as part of the latest Operation Clean Sweep.

Led by Thanet council, the operation involves officers from Kent Police, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, the UK Border Agency and Kent County Council’s education team, who will be carrying out a truancy sweep.

This is the fifth time that the operation has taken place since it was first launched in October 2007. The most recent Clean Sweep saw problems - including damaged council properties, unauthorised businesses and Houses in Multiple Occupation, graffiti and dumped rubbish - tackled in Newington and Whitehall last month.

The latest crackdown started on Tuesday this week (Tues 18 Nov) and will focus on checking housing conditions in the area, the use of buildings and seeing whether commercial properties have the licences they require. Clean up squads will be deployed to tackle dumped rubbish and graffiti, with the help of volunteers from Pipeline.