REVOLUTIONARY plans to give councils power to sweep child criminals off the streets were unveiled by Blackburn MP Jack Straw at a conference today

The Shadow Home Secretary revealed the hard-hitting policy at the launch of Blackburn's new "neighbour nuisance" policy.

The proposals are designed to rid the streets of children as young as ten and under who terrify neighbours and run riot on estates.

The plan would be to take tiny terrors into council run hostels if they break curfews agreed by police and local communities.

Social workers would then be called in to talk to the parents of youngsters allowed to run wild.

The Labour MP's proposals go further than a set of council policies designed to rid Blackburn's estates of nightmare neighbours.

Rising concern about trouble-makers terrorising the estates led to the launch of the pioneering strategy. Probationary tenancies, private investigators, secret surveillance of trouble-makers and court action will all be used in the clampdown.

Jack Straw was guest speaker at the official launch of the strategy in King George's Hall.

The MP hit the headlines last year when he branded Blackburn's Liddle family 'Neighbours from hell.'

The family who were arrested more than 50 times in 12 months prompted a series of get-tough speeches.

Mr Straw said: "Tackling crime is the first priority of residents up and down the country.

"Last year a survey of crime in Blackburn found that three-quarters of Blackburn's residents have been victims of crime in the last five years.

"People should feel free to use our streets without fear, they should expect to be treated with respect. In many areas, a single family or drugs gang can terrorise a whole community into submission, intimidate witnesses and take control of a whole area. "The police do a very good job but their actions can only be first-aid unless the community gets behind them.

"That is why crime prevention and community safety strategies now being developed by councils like Blackburn in consultation with the police are of such importance."

The MP went on to outline a series of policies which would be introduced under a Labour Government. They include:

New laws to create crime busting partnerships between councils and the police.

The creation of working groups made up of a wide range of organisations to work on anti-nuisance policies and measures.

Protection schemes designed to stamp out intimidation of key witnesses in criminal cases.

Exclusion orders banning persistent trouble-makers from certain areas and neighbourhoods.

A radical overhaul of the youth justice system.

Blackburn's police chief, Superintendent Eddie Walsh also spoke at the launch ceremony.

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