OVERALL crime in Newport is down ten percent on the same period last year, city councillors were told.

This equates to 1,343 less incidents compared with January last year Newport Superintendent Dave Johnson told a full council meeting last week.

Anti social behaviour has also gone down by ten percent meaning there were 1,400 fewer incidents compared with this time last year.

Crime in all but three areas of the city had been reduced, but Newport remains a hub for the supply of class A drugs with lots of people coming into the area to source them, he said.

Four extra staff will now be seconded to the city to help tackle the problem, targeting known areas such as Pill.