A RURAL borough council has given the thumbs-up to a national campaign aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour.

Ribble Valley Borough Council has welcomed Together We Can Beat It, launched this week by the Local Government Association, National Housing Federation and Association of Chief Police Officers.

The campaign aims to promote closer working between councils, registered social landlords and the police to help communities get to grips with anti-social behaviour.

Ribble Valley Council already runs a Community Cohesion Group that promotes tolerance and understanding in the community through a wide range of initiatives.

The council's assistant regeneration officer, Anne Borland, said: "We welcome approaches that will enable this difficult issue to be tackled and assist victims of anti-social behaviour."

Ribble Valley Council was one of the first authorities in Lancashire to appoint a quality of life officer.

Former rural bobby John Barber's job includes mediating between feuding neighbours, keeping nuisance juveniles in check and co-ordinating the work of agencies involved in the implementation of anti-social behaviour orders.

He said: "We take the problems caused by anti-social behaviour seriously at Ribble Valley Borough Council.

"We are at the forefront of a number of initiatives aimed at ensuring the area remains a pleasant place to live and work.We welcome this initiative."

Juvenile nuisance accounted for 44 per cent of reported public disorder crimes in the Ribble Valley in 2001 and the parents of nearly 150 youngsters in Clitheroe received letters warning about their child's behaviour.