A working group of councillors wants to give strict new powers to police and neighbourhood wardens so they can seize alcohol from troublemakers in any public place in a bid to slash levels of anti-social behaviour.

• Chad reporters Michael Johns and Nick Brimacombe hit the streets of Mansfield to find out what you think about the proposals. Click the green 'play' icon to watch our video vox pop.

Mansfield District Council's Select Commission Two has been investigating the problem for a number of months and will hold a public meeting next week for local folk to have their say on its proposals.

Said group chairman Coun Tom Appleby: "When we started looking at this issue, we were looking in the broadest sense because we'd had a lot of complaints from people of all ages right across the district.

"It is not people drinking in public that people are worried about — it is people overdrinking in public. It gives the police powers if people are causing problems to say they have had enough and send them on their way.

"We are not trying to have a blanket ban on drinking but want to have the ability to address problems and troublemakers.

"This is not some 'big brother' draconian measure. At the end of the day, the police haven't got any more staff and we haven't got any more staff — it is just giving them more powers. It will enable the police and wardens to deal with a very small minority of people."

He said police had initially identified five areas where an order could be brought in –– focusing on the town centre and various parks but, after looking into the issue, councillors were concerned it would just move the problem to other areas.

The draft report says this had taken place when wardens had challenged anti-social drinking in Titchfield Park, which then subsequently 'displaced' the problem to the Commercial Gate car park, Littleworth and the Quarry Lane Nature Reserve where they could not tackle it.

After the public meeting, a final report will be produced giving the recommendations of the group.

• The public meeting takes place at Mansfield Civic Centre next Wednesday (16th) at 6pm.