The Home Secretary is drawing up plans to give local people more control over policing priorities and responsiveness, the Prime Minister said.

Also trailed yesterday as part of a new package to tackle crime, Gordon Brown said legislation would be brought in to give victims of crime more legal rights, including protection for witnesses of gun and gang-related crime during investigations and trials.

New laws will be introduced to "liberate police from needless red tape" – allowing officers to spend less time on paperwork and more time on the beat, Mr Brown said.

The Police and Crime Reduction Bill will legislate to speed up the recovery and seizure of assets obtained through crime, closing loopholes that allow criminals to retain profits of their actions.

And anti-social behaviour rules will be tightened up, including new legislation to reduce the number of strikes shopkeepers are given for selling alcohol to youths from three to two before they're prosecuted.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "Feeling safe and secure is of fundamental importance to individuals, families and communities and the Government is committed to delivering improved policing that is better suited to the needs of the public.

"Measures in the Policing and Crime Reduction Bill will give the public greater confidence in the police by enhancing the way performance is managed, tackling bureaucracy and improving transparency."