MEMBERS of the public have been invited to judge how a team of key organisations in Burnley are tackling the fight against crime and disorder.

The Burnley Community Safety Partnership's Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy comes on the back of the Task Force Report into last year's disturbances.

It looks at tackling drug misuse, reducing anti-social behaviour, reducing property crime, improving road safety, reducing violent and hate crimes and tackling alcohol misuse.

It is hoped the new strategy will build on the success of the town's first crime and disorder reduction strategy put in place in 1999.

The Partnership has now invited residents to judge them on its impact in six key objectives in three years' time.

Since 1999 crime has fallen by 2.2 per cent, domestic burglary has been reduced by 21.4 per cent and vehicle crime has fallen by 35.5 per cent.

Services for drug misusers have improved with the setting up of an arrest referral scheme at Burnley police station and other programmes.

The increased capacity of the East Lancashire Drugs Service has led to treatment waiting times being reduced from two and a half years in April 2001 to 12 weeks in March 2002.

Members of the Community Safety Partnership who devised the new strategy have pledged to ensure the strategy is implemented and to carry out on going monitoring and evaluation with annual reviews.

Their main aims are to set up a street agency that contributes to reducing the impact of drug misuse, to reduce youth anti-social behaviour, to reduce the number of victims of burglary and to make a significant contribution to community cohesion within the borough, improving road safety and reducing alcohol misuse.

Community Safety Team Manager Melva Burton said: "We have been working hard with various organisations to help implement a crime and disorder reduction strategy and regularly monitor its progress.

"We are focusing our energy's into known areas of concern such as drug misuse which will inevitably help reduce crime in the town and make it a better place to live.

"Through the strategy we have looked a setting up a dedicated drugs line for people to phone because Burnley didn't have that service.

"Police and the education service have undertaken truancy sweeps and a young fire fighters scheme has been introduced as just a few of the many initiatives to help make improvements for the town."

Members of the strategy include the council, the county council, the primary care trust, Burnley & Padiham Community Housing community alliance, Lancashire constabulary, Lancashire fire and rescue, Lancashire youth offending team, the national probation service and voluntary action in the community.

For further information about the strategy contact Community Safety Team on 01282 477136.