A MASSIVE rise in vandalism and anti social behaviour at Bridport has set alarm bells ringing.

Figures show a 100 per cent increase so far this year with the town's hard-pressed council tax payers facing a £36,000 repair bill - around £12 a head.

Now councillors are considering tough new action against the culprits who wreck property and spread litter.

Installing CCTV cameras around the town council's Mountfield headquarters - a prime target - are amongst the options they will consider.

And Police are being asked to step up patrols in problem areas. Mayor Geoff Ackerman told members of the finance and general purposes committee on Wednesday that it was "utterly ridiculous" that Bridport was suffering from so much vandalism - especially around their own offices.

"What's to be done we don't really know - perhaps CCTV," he said. Town Surveyor Bernard Paull said that repairing damaged property and picking up litter was a "total waste of taxpayers money."

In a special report he revealed that last year it cost the town council £18,205 - seven per cent of their budget - adding £6 a year to the average Band D council tax payer's bill.

In the first five months of this year the council had already spent £16,250 putting right damage and cleaning up.

"Some of the repairs are dealt with by the town council groundstaff but in many cases specialist contractors have to be employed," he said.

Even Then Mr Paull said town council staff were involved in reporting and inspecting damage, ordering repairs, supervising work and authorising payment.

"All of this has had an affect on the town council resources, both human and financial," he continued.

"At times it can affect staff morale who, as staff, take great pride in their work only to see it damaged or undone."

Mr Paull said dealing with litter was also becoming a major drain on resources. Areas that had to be regularly cleaned included Mountfield, Plottignham and St Mary's Playing Fields.

Coun Roger Stoodley said installing CCTV cameras to monitor activities around Mountfield was a relatively cheap and easy solution.

The committee also agreed to support Bridport police Inspector Alan Jenkins in his bid to gain more resources with which to combat vandalism in the town.