A network of bobbies on the beat will be rolled out across York well ahead of national deadlines, police said today.

The new system of neighbourhood policing, which focuses on more area policing with smaller city-wide response teams, is being introduced as part of national plans by the Government.

Pilot teams have already been set up in Clifton, Dringhouses and Woodthorpe, Westfield, Micklegate and Heworth, as the Evening Press revealed in January.

The next Neighbourhood Policing teams will be set up in April 2006, with teams expected to be in place across the whole city well ahead of the April 2008 national deadline.

Inspector Colin Moreton, who is responsible for the roll-out, said: "The pilot to implement neighbourhood policing in York has been very successful. We will shortly be carrying out an evaluation of the process, to enable us to roll the programme out to other wards in the York area."

Each existing team set up a joint action group of ward councillors, environment officers, neighbourhood pride, police and youth workers to combat the crimes which residents said worst affected their lives.

City of York Council leader Steve Galloway said: "Tackling crime is a very important issue for the residents of this city. As a Liberal Democrat, I support any measures which allow local people to become more involved in the policing of their area.

"The council is working well with the police to establish an effective model for Neighbourhood Policing teams, which will be expanded across the city."

He said he was disappointed the Government was being "prescriptive" about the way in which neighbourhood policing was implemented.

But he said: "I do believe local teams will provide greater opportunities for residents to get involved in crime prevention, and to assist the police in their work, making York a safer place to live."

He said the council already has an excellent record of working with the police to deliver increased crime fighting resources.

Last year, the authority contributed half of the funding for an additional five Police Community Support Officers - increasing the number of PCSOs patrolling the city by 25 per cent.

As part of the pilot scheme, a series of neighbourhood action days were held to blitz crime last month. Officers arrested 48 people as part of a series of the action days, which involved police, customs and excise officers, the DVLA, the fire service and City of York Council.

A report about the progress of Neighbourhood Policing will be discussed at a council's leaders' advisory panel meeting on Monday.

Updated: 11:04 Wednesday, February 15, 2006