Thanks to Scottish Government funding, the Midlothian Community Safety Partnership has received £30,000 from the ongoing Safer Scotland campaign to double the number of police officers on patrol on Friday and Saturday nights this month.

During December, there will be a series of high visibility, high impact initiatives implemented by local police, Midlothian Council and licensees.

Following the high-profile, targeted policing this month, the funding will be used to provide preventative and supplementary activities throughout the winter.

Superintendent Graham Sinclair, Midlothian's newly-appointed police commander, said the cash would target Midlothian "hotspots" with constant monitoring and reviewing taking place to ensure resources were being deployed to the right places at the right times.

The funding will double the number of police officers on Midlothian streets, targeting problem areas, every Friday and Saturday night throughout December.

A police officer and a member of the council's community safety team will also visit pubs and clubs in key areas. The managers and staff will be given information on the campaign and advice on what to do in problem situations. They will also be issued with a Safer Streets information pack and invited to attend a free personal licence holders course.

Council Leader and Midlothian Community Safety Executive Group chairman Derek Milligan welcomed the Safer Scotland award.

"I am pleased the Scottish Government has made available additional funds to tackle alcohol-related violence and disorder in our town centres over the festive period. Partnerships were invited to submit proposals for a co-ordinated range of initiatives to tackle these issues, and I'm delighted that Midlothian received its full £30,000 allocated funding.

"These funds will help to build on existing partnerships working in targeted town centres. I look forward to seeing the positive results of placing more officers within the heart of our towns at a time of year that people want to peacefully enjoy with family and friends."

Depute Provost and Midlothian Licensing Board chairman Councillor Margot Russell said: "This is a really welcome initiative, and I'm sure licensees and their staff will be keen to take advantage of these personal licence holders courses, which are specifically designed to assist them in dealing swiftly with any antisocial behaviour on their premises."

Superintendent Sinclair added: "We welcome this additional funding as a means to deploy extra officers at key times and at local 'hotspots' where and when assaults and vandalisms are committed. As a lot of violence, vandalism and antisocial behaviour is alcohol fuelled, we will also give attention to pubs, off sales and fast food outlets.

"This will be a sustained operation over a four week period. It will involve both plain clothes officers and high visibility patrols.The Midlothian CAT (Community Action Team) will be heavily involved in this initiative.

"We are fully committed to this type of community safety partnership working and we will regularly check to make sure that our additional patrols are targeted at the right places at the right times."

Funding will also provide additional road traffic officers to carry out road checks, as well as officers to man the CCTV control room. This will ensure close monitoring and effective communication links between the council's CCTV room and police headquarters.

There will also be an ongoing publicity campaign where the public will be encouraged to report any incidents of violence and drink driving. In the New Year, alcohol free youth events will be run across Midlothian.