About 350 professionals, including police, court and council officials attended a forum on Wenesday.

The event also marked the launch of the Together ActionLine, which will provide advice and support to those involved in dealing with anti-social behaviour.

Another nine academies are to be held across the country in March.

Finding solutions

Home Office Minister Hazel Blears told delegates in Birmingham that one in three people now felt anti-social behaviour affected their quality of life.

Ms Blears said the Together academy was "not about abstract theories" or "academic discussion".

"It is about action and finding potential solutions," the minister said.

Ms Blears acknowledged that, despite a 20% drop in crime over the past six years, two-thirds of the population "still think crime is going up".

But she said she hoped the conference would lead to bodies such as magistrates' courts becoming more aware of their powers in dealing with nuisance neighbours, such as a legal presumption in favour of jailing those who breach anti-social behaviour orders.