HOME OFFICE Minister Lord Falconer was in York to meet crime-fighters.

The Safer York Partnership hosted the visit by the Minister of State for Criminal Justice, Sentencing and Law Reform to chat about the part they play in the fight against crime.

Partnership director Jane Mowat spoke at length with the Minister about the progress of the York Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy and the projects enabled by Home Office funding streams.

She said: "It is important for York, as in all towns and cities throughout the UK, that central Government gets a real flavour of what is happening on the ground, in what way Home Office funds are being applied, and the effects of its very significant investment in crime reduction," she said.

"Local delivery of multi-agency projects is rarely plain sailing and it is good to have the opportunity to share both positive feedback and some of the stumbling blocks with such a high-level government official as Lord Falconer."

Elaine Curtis, the Communities Against Drugs development officer, whose job is funded directly by Home Office cash, welcomed the Minister's keen interest in drug-related crime.

Lord Falconer went walkabout in the Walmgate area, where the "joined up approach" to tackling problems is bringing dividends to the residents, who themselves are shaping the future of the area in which they work or live.

Picture: Lord Falconer, left, discusses a drug testing kit at Robinson Court, Walmgate, York, with Jane Mowatt, Safer York Partnership director, Elaine Curtis, Communities Against Drugs development officer, and Trevor Hogarth, director of the York Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders

Updated: 09:19 Saturday, March 01, 2003