Police said arrests were down in Aberystwyth

At a public meeting on Thursday, some residents said they had "had enough" of anti-social behaviour and called for the authorities to take action.

But Dyfed-Powys Police said arrests were had fallen in the last two years.

Residents and town officials agreed to create a forum to keep authorities informed of local people's views.

Nearly 100 people attended the meeting at Aberystwyth magistrates court.

Many claimed there had been a rise in cases of anti-social behaviour in the town, much of it related to drink and drugs.

Things have improved, arrests are down and things are not as bad as two years ago Lyn Samuel, Dyfed-Powys Police

There were other allegations made that street violence and cases of verbal abuse had increased, while it was alleged there had also been a rise in the number of homeless people in the town.

One resident, Elsie McDonagh, said she and fellow residents had "had enough".

"Why should we have to put up with all these people?" she said.

Mayor Aled Davies said the majority of homeless people in the town were not causing problems.

"There's just a tiny percentage causing problems with drink and drugs and they don't comply with society's rules," he said.

Ceredigion Council's Robert Harris, who is a cabinet member responsible for environmental matters, said "deteriorating standards" and "loutish behaviour" was not exclusively an Aberystwyth problem.

Plaid Cymru AM Elin Jones chaired the meeting on Thursday

He told the meeting: "Why are you demonising the homeless? You've only got to look at the Cambrian News (the local newspaper) each week to see that most people causing trouble in the town are in full employment and in accommodation."

Inspector Lyn Samuel of Dyfed-Powys Police in Aberystwyth, said anti-social behaviour in the town had been reduced.

"Two years ago I was a custody officer and we had a problem with anti-social behaviour and begging," he said.

"But things have improved, arrests are down and things are not as bad as two years ago."

Earlier this year, Ceredigion Community Safety Partnership's audit found that during 2003-04 51% of violent crime was drink-related.