A DISAGREEMENT between the police and Wiltshire County Council has delayed the introduction of Antisocial Behaviour Orders in Malmesbury by seven months.

Police said the delay has hampered their battle with youth crime, which has risen recently.

A three-tier complaints system for antisocial behaviour has been devised by North Wiltshire Community Safety Partnership, a group consisting of the police, the town and county councils and other organisations with an interest in keeping crime figures down.

The system includes complaint forms, pro forma letters and behavioural contracts and was to be introduced before Christmas.

The material could be used as a body of evidence in court if an Antisocial Behaviour Order was requested.

The county council originally backed the system but now wants its logo withdrawn from the North Wiltshire Community Safety Partnership, saying it fears the system is just targeted at youths to give police more ammunition against Malmesbury trouble-makers. It requested the words "some youths" should be taken out of the part of each document relating to the trouble caused in the town.

PC Phil Connors of Malmesbury Police, who is responsible for introducing the orders, said the system was targeted at any antisocial behaviour and was happy to comply with the request.

But the dispute has persisted and PC Connors conceded: "We will have to go ahead with or without the logo."

However, county councillor for Malmesbury, John Thomson, said he was in favour of the Antisocial Behaviour Orders and expected the logo to be available after discussion with officers.