YOBS won't get an easy ride in 2004. Leigh MP Andy Burnham has pledged there will be no let up in the war on yob culture and says new powers will be introduced to step up the fight against unacceptable conduct.

A new Bill will give councils power to crack down on nuisance neighbours and makes it easier to secure Anti-Social Behaviour Orders.

Police will be able to disperse gangs of young people causing trouble and issue fixed penalty fines.

The fight against crime will be helped by the recruitment of additional police officers and the Leigh area is benefiting from the presence of new community support officers.

Mr Burnham, pictured, said: "Standards have been allowed to fall. We need to bring back a culture of respect for others."

He is also backing plans to introduce public drinking bans in Golborne and Hindley early in the new year following the introduction of schemes in Leigh and Tyldesley.

He also reported that plans for the Leigh Sports Village had received a big boost with the promise of a £11.4 million grant to help build the complex at Marshall Street.

He said: "We have listened to concerns and changes have been made to plans. I hope people will now back them."

The new year will also see the start of an ambitious borough-wide scheme to improve GP's premises and create new health care centres.

Millions will be invested in new facilities and patients in Atherton and Golborne will be among the first to benefit.

Hindley's new SureStart building is set to open its doors early in the year at the corner of Borsdane Avenue and Mornington Road and will be used to provide a range of services to children and families, and will be available for wider community use.

In a successful year, in which he was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Home Secretary David Blunkett, Mr Burnham has also called for a £5 per hour national minimum wage, presented a petition calling for a new rail station in Golborne and is leading a Parliamentary campaign to improve dental health in the county.