A NEW initiative aimed at making York residents proud of their city is to be launched - fittingly, on St George's Day.

A range of measures have been announced ahead of the official launch of York Community Pride on April 23.

Ideas lined up so far for the "spring clean season" include litter-picking by senior City of York Council staff, travel concessions for pensioners and a rebranding for Neighbourhood Watch.

A surprise event is also planned for the launch day, as well as an Acomb Wood waste paper blitz, the repainting of Mansion House and pond-building at St Nicholas Fields.

Council leader Steve Galloway said: "York Community Pride is the final strand of the York Pride initiative and, in many ways, it's the most important aspect of the campaign.

"It involves local residents taking ownership of areas where they live. We're looking for people to be neighbourly."

As part of the build-up to the launch, residents and community groups will share £50,000 to improve their neighbourhoods.

They can apply for small grants of between £100 to £250 for litter-picking, bulb-planting, or repainting and repairing community buildings. Grants of up to £1,000 are available for projects.

A Community Pride fund will support York Pride and York Business Pride projects. Anyone interested in grants should phone Rachel Rushforth on 01904 552063

Meanwhile, the council will be introducing £50 on-the-spot fixed penalty fines from April 19, for dropping litter.

Street environment officers will be issuing verbal warnings from April 5 before the full crackdown starts.

Zoe Burns, the council's head of street environment, said: "We have to change the attitude of persistent offenders.

"We want to deliver a cleaner and more pleasant environment in York, where we can all enjoy our city without litter blotting the street scene."

City traders have backed York Business Pride - the second stage of York Pride - raising more than £100,000 to clean the streets.

Council executive members will discuss the Community Pride initiative on March 16.

Updated: 10:45 Wednesday, March 10, 2004