A public meeting is being held tonight (Thursday) over the proposed joint strategy to combat the on-street sex trade in High Town.
Residents can find out about ongoing and future action being taken by Beds Police and Luton Borough Council.
The meeting takes place during an ongoing and robust police operation targeted at kerb crawlers and organised crime.
Cllr Naseem Ayub who has Executive responsibility for Community Safety is keen to stress the strength of the partnership:
“I know that people in Luton are fed up with this trade taking place in their neighbourhoods.
“The Council is absolutely committed to providing effective and practical measures alongside the police enforcement activity.
“We have a shared ambition to protect our communities and residents from the nuisance and harm associated with the on-street sex trade.
“We want this blight removed from our streets by 2018.”
The Council Executive recently approved a dispersal order to tackle anti-social behaviour in the area along with a £50,000 budget for community safety initiatives.
Resources have been allocated to projects that will support workers to leave the sex trade.
Other practical measures have included new doors fitted to secure bin store areas, which had been used by workers in the trade.
Car park barriers have also been installed and increased clean up operations have been implemented.
Chief Superintendent Mark Turner said: “Bedfordshire Police is committed to supporting this strategy and continues to proactively patrol the area with a dedicated team who have in the last six months detained 127 people for kerb crawling, 26 people for other offences, executed three misuse of drugs warrants and gathered a substantial amount of intelligence which will enable the team to plan further operations.
“This has always been a complex and deep- rooted problem which requires long term partnership working from all agencies involved.
“We firmly believe this strategy will support residents in the area who should not be subjected to this kind of anti-social behaviour but also help find long term practical solutions to help those women who find themselves working within the sex trade in the High Town area.”
The meeting takes place at 6.30pm at the High Town Methodist Church.