THE crime-busting Hyndburn Partnership has been shortlisted for a prestigious national crime prevention and community safety award.

The winner of the award will be announced on Tuesday at a glittering ceremony in London, attended by HRH the Princess Royal.

The Partnership has won a place on the shortlist for its work to regenerate central Accrington, beating contenders from across Britain.

Judges praised the creativity and range of initiatives introduced to combat crime in the town centre and the drop in the crime rate.

The regeneration of the town centre focuses on a series of initiatives which include:

Round-the-clock monitoring by a network of CCTV cameras.

A force of nine uniformed community safety wardens on patrol from 8am to 8pm six days a week.

A community radio network linking more than 20 town centre retailers, CCTV operators, safety wardens and police.

Safe corridors where street lighting has been improved and all car parks achieving secure car park status.

Business and security awareness promoted through police seminars and workshops.

Target hardening with Age Concern, police, victim support and Hyndburn Homewise co-operating to fit new doors, chains and alarms for the elderly.

In the first 12 months the cost of reported crime was slashed by 78 per cent from £666,000 to £147,000 including shoplifting cut by 43 per cent, criminal damage by 53 per cent, and stealing from cars down 91 per cent.

There were 430 arrests as a direct result of the programme.

The partnership is a group of more than 40 public, private and voluntary organisations working together to combat social, physical and economic problems in the borough.

Most of the projects have been jointly funded by the council and the government's single regeneration budget.

Hyndburn Council leader George Slynn said: "Being shortlisted for a prize in this national competition is a wonderful achievement for Hyndburn, enforcing the view that the borough has pioneered a remarkable crime prevention strategy.

"It will boost the borough's profile, displaying the innovative crime prevention methods used in Hyndburn to a national audience."

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