THE leader of Hyndburn Council has pledged to consider rolling out a pilot community warden scheme in Woodnook across the borough.

The councillors, residents and police representatives who make up the Woodnook Forum for Action, are anxiously waiting for a decision from the council's regeneration agency Hyndburn First this week on their £48,000 bid for cash to set up the project.

Councillor Peter Britcliffe said the funding for the two part-time wardens would come from the £2.91million Neighbourhood Renewal Fund awarded to Hyndburn First earlier this year to improve the quality of life in the region's most deprived areas.

Organisers say the two part-time wardens, recruited locally, are to wear a special uniform and will liaise with the police and council officers about neighbourhood nuisances and litter.

However, Mr Britcliffe said the idea was not a re-run of the pioneering 1994 project where civilian volunteers patrolled the town centre -- which was discontinued when after running out of Government funding.

Last year, the council decided not to bid to bid for cash made available by the Home Office after they were told the police had no money to match fund an initiative to pay for more town centre wardens.

Accrington town centre, they later discovered, was also ineligible for funding from the scheme because crime is falling in that area. Mr Britcliffe said: "If this scheme is successful, we shall roll out the scheme throughout the borough."

Leader of Labour opposition, Councillor Ian Ormerod agreed the bid was popular with residents.

But he said: "I'm not sure if this is best value and the cash might be more wisely used on private sector housing renovation or helping with debt management."

"This is a totally different scheme from the town centre warden initiative. It is an excellent idea and has been drawn up very closely with local residents who are very supportive.

"The council is not in a position to bid for more town centre wardens but we shall be happy to look at other crime prevention strategies."

Leader of the Labour opposition, councillor Ian Ormerod agreed the bid was popular with residents.

But he said: "I'm not sure if this is best value and the cash might be more wisely used on private sector housing renovation or helping with debt management.

"And if we want to keep the streets clean, then there should be more street cleaners, not wardens."

"But it's worth having a look at and I'll reserve judgment until the scheme has been accepted and is up and running."

And Peter Shaw, chairman of Federation 2000 which represents Hyndburn's 19 tenants and residents groups said: "There has been a begrudging acceptance that cash for town centre wardens was not available.

"But any other spark on the horizon like this scheme is generally supported."