TEENAGERS face closer scrutiny of their homework as a council battles to meet tough new Government targets, which could lead to a £3million windfall.

The council signed a Public Service Agreement with the Government in April last year and was set 13 targets to meet by 2004 -- in return for the cash.

A year on, the council has revealed it is on target to meet nine of the aims.

The targets not being met include increasing the number of 14-year-olds at the national standards for literacy (from 52 per cent to 75 per cent by April 2004), numeracy (53 per cent to 80 per cent), science (44 per cent to 70 per cent) and Information Technology (58 per cent to 75 per cent).

Now teachers are to be ordered to keep a closer eye on the homework youngsters produce.

There will be quicker intervention for pupils who don't do homework, with teachers urged to make sure youngsters catch up quickly.

Many schools have pupil mentors, specialist staff trained to help pupils who fall behind with work.

Jan Styan, the council's PSA officer, said: "We think the most obvious way youngsters begin to fall behind with their work is by not doing their homework. If it is picked up sooner, action can be taken to find out why children aren't doing homework and make sure they start doing it."

The other target not met is a reduction in juvenile nuisance calls to the police in the Mill Hill and Whitebirk areas. In Mill Hill, the target was a reduction from 914 per year to 877. It only fell to 896. Jan blamed this on staffing problems which have since been resolved.

Two targets which cannot be assessed are reduction in teenage pregnancies -- which have to be reduced from 53.7 per thousand girls to 41.3 per thousand by 2004 -- and a reduction in the rate of 10-17 year olds re-offending.

New adverts are to be shown at Blackburn cinema letting teenagers know where they can get sex education advice.

Jan added: "Rough analysis of the pregnancy figures shows there has been a reduction, but we are taking steps to make sure that decline continues."