COMMUNITY safety leaders are celebrating after crime in York fell by more than a third.

Safer York Partnership has far exceeded the targets it was set by the Government in 2005.

Jane Mowat, director of Safer York Partnership, said she was delighted with the progress.

She said: "In 2005, when the Government set the 15 per cent crime reduction target for England and Wales we were set a target of 21.4 per cent by 2008, based on the fact that we were considered a high crime community safety partnership.

"We were ranked 35th, within the top 40 highest crime area, largely down to the high number of cycle thefts and criminal damage in the city.

"Since 2005, through our hard work and considered efforts with partners, we have achieved a 36.7 per cent crime reduction rate and we are now ranked 65th - so we are out of the high crime top 40.

"I think a lot of it is down to the fact that the partnership is now much, much better at engaging with City of York Council and North Yorkshire Police.

"We are working much more closely with the local neighbourhood policing teams and that has made a big difference to us."

Current performance shows a 32 per cent reduction in crime compared to last year.

Highlights include a reduction in burglary of 58.1 per cent since 2005, compared to a Government target of 30 per cent.

Vehicle thefts fell 32 per cent in 2007 when compared to the figures for 2006, and thefts from vehicles fell by 40 per cent.

Incidents of people tampering with vehicles was also down by 45 per cent, and criminal damage dropped by 28 per cent.

The number of assaults which resulted in injuries fell by 25 per cent in 2007 when compared to the number in 2006 - meaning Safer York Partnership has seen an overall reduction of 57 per cent since 2005.

Ms Mowat said some of the methods used by Safer York partnership had been adopted nationally as examples of good practice.

She added: "We will continue to improve our delivery as we work toward producing a new community safety plan for 2008."