THE street warden scheme has been given a national £19m boost by the Government.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott confirmed the cash - and highlighted the success of schemes in Kirklees, including Huddersfield.

The £19m will extend the funding period for 1,000 street wardens, who are already working successfully in vulnerable communities to cut crime and improve the environment.

And an extra £2m will go to 15 schemes in Yorkshire and Humberside. They employ more than 130 wardens.

Kirklees, Calderdale, Hull, Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster and north-east Lincolnshire all have one or more street warden schemes. Leeds, Bradford and Sheffield operate both street and street crime warden projects.

Also, £2m will go to beef up street management schemes, which harness the efforts of the public, private, community and voluntary sectors.

The region's three existing management schemes - in Dewsbury, Kendray in Barnsley and Eastwood and Springwell Gardens in Rotherham - are already helping to solve local problems with crime, unemployment, housing, health and the environment.

Mr Prescott said: "Making neighbourhoods clean and safe benefits everybody. Already, we can see the impact that wardens and neighbourhood management have in helping residents to revitalise their neighbourhoods and reclaim their streets."

In west Dewsbury the neighbourhood manager worked with police to provide extra community police officers on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. In the first seven weeks crime fell 46%.

In Kirklees as a whole wardens have helped to cut recorded crime by 32% in their areas.

The wardens also have a rapid response team to tackle graffiti, fly-tipping and dropped gum.

Related stories and messageboards