A FALL in the number of house burglaries in Pendle has been welcomed by Gordon Prentice MP.

He has also greeted the publication of the draft safety strategy for 2002-5 by Pendle community safety partnership, which includes the council, police and other agencies, to try to develop safer neighbourhoods and reduce the level and fear of crime in Pendle.

He said: "We don't want pass the parcel between the various agencies responsible for keeping our neighbourhoods safe and free from crime."

The main issues identified in the strategy are domestic burglary, drugs and alcohol misuse, juvenile nuisance, road safety, vehicle crime and violence and harassment.

Mr Prentice said: "The aim is for all individuals to be able to work and live in a safe environment. Local agencies and the community must work together to improve community safety."

The successes of the existing strategy A Safer Pendle, he said, included the introduction of CCTV and help points in Nelson town centre.

Domestic burglary had fallen from 3.1 per hundred households to 2.37.

He added: "The achievement of the last strategy are a good start and these need to be built on and the new strategy bring improvements to the quality of life in Pendle."