COUNCILLORS are demanding to know why a borough which pioneered crime-busting community wardens has missed out on the chance to re-introduce the scheme, two years after it was axed because of a lack of cash.

The move comes as Hyndburn Council chiefs insist the new round of grants proves the Government should never have pulled the plug on money for the scheme.

The pioneering project, in Accrington town centre, was hailed as a potent weapon in the fight against crime after it was introduced in 1994.

The scheme used money from Hyndburn Council's Single Regeneration Budget windfall from the Government and won national acclaim before councillors were forced to scrap it.

Now, more than £13million has been made available by the Government to fund community warden schemes across the country, which will be modelled on the pioneering scheme -- but Hyndburn hasn't applied.

The new grants being made available by the Government would have paid the wages of the officers, covered by the organisation bidding for the cash.

Hundreds of organisations -- including councils, housing associations and community bodies -- have bid for cash and are due to find out next month if they have been successful.

Labour Councillor Jean Battle, said: "It seems absolutely barmy that we have overlooked this chance to reinstate the community wardens. We should have bitten the Government's hand off.

"Town centre safety is a massive concern to us all. The community wardens provided an authoritative face on the streets which reassured people.

"I cannot understand why we have decided not to bid for cash which has been made available to extend the very scheme we pioneered."

Council leader Peter Britcliffe, claimed town centre crime had shot up some 50 per cent after the wardens were axed.

Today, he said: "I am very curious to know why we have not bid for funding. Crime prevention is at the top of our agenda."

Coun Jim Dickinson, deputy leader of Hyndburn Council, added: "The question is why are they offering this money now when we could have done with it two years ago?"

While having no official powers, the role of the new community warden is to provide a presence on the streets to deter criminals and help the community feel safer, said a Home Office spokesman.

A spokesman for Hyndburn First, the regeneration arm of Hyndburn Council, said: "We chose not to bid for funding because it only covered the cost of wages.

"We felt there were other ways we could improve the current situation and we are working on a number of crime initiatives."

A Home Office spokesman said: "There was no reason why Hyndburn could not have applied."