Drug rehab beds halved in Weston-super-Mare
New figures stating drug rehabilitation beds in Weston-super-Mare have almost halved since 2006 have been described as "encouraging".
In six years, the amount of beds offered to recovering drug addicts has dropped from 500 to 262.
An accreditation scheme has seen a decrease in private landlord-run bed-sits for addicts, and more professionally-run treatment centres.
Ch Supt Julian Moss said it was encouraging and made the town safer.
The chair of the People and Communities Board added: "Higher quality, better-managed treatment provision means better outcomes for individuals in treatment and their families."
Weston Tory MP John Penrose said Weston needed "fewer, better rehabs".
He added that there had been too many beds for a town of its size and the figures proved that hard work by rehab owners, the police and Weston-super-Mare Town Council's Community Safety and Drug Action Team had paid off.
Brian Dudley, Chief Executive of Broadway Lodge rehabilitation centre in the town, said the introduction of an accreditation scheme had seen significant improvements in the level of care offered to addicts in the town.
"Inspectors look at our policies and procedures and talk to our staff and patients to make sure that the quality of the service that we are providing is of an acceptable standard," he said.
"We are really pleased to take part in the scheme to show there is some really good quality help for people in the area."