CRIME hotspots across York could soon be targeted by street wardens in an effort to cut vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

City of York Council is currently putting together a revised bid for joint Home Office and Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions funding for the scheme after an earlier bid last year was turned down.

The previous application was for half the £275,000 needed to fund a team of between ten and 15 wardens for a city-wide scheme.

But following the intervention of the Home Secretary, the city was advised to resubmit the bid to target areas with high crime levels.

The council is now weighing up three options to pitch for a slice of £25 million available nationally since 2001.

Option One would cover 14 wards from Guildhall to Beckfield. The bid would focus all the street wardens on these areas.

Option Two would cover 21 wards from Guildhall to Upper Poppleton. The area of benefit would be greater, but less focused. Some of the wards with lower crime rates could be paired up and covered by one warden, such as Knavesmire and Fishergate, or Micklegate and Holgate.

Option Three would see the service provided to wards which had voted for resources for street warden-type schemes in the latest budget round. This would cover 15 wards. It would reflect ward decision-making but would provide a scattered service which would miss out the high crime wards of Guildhall and Bootham but include low crime wards, Haxby and Wigginton.

The overall purpose of the wardens would be to care for the physical appearance of streets, deter anti-social behaviour, reduce crime and the fear of crime and work with local community groups.

The wardens would only have civilian powers, but would be uniformed and have radios to keep them in contact with the police and council.

If the revised bid was granted funding, wardens could be on the streets by autumn following a period of recruitment and intensive training.

The options are set to be considered on Tuesday at the council's community safety and local affairs meeting.

Updated: 11:40 Thursday, May 02, 2002