A MAJOR project to slash the £25million-a-year cost of crime and disorder in Hyndburn was under way today.

The Hyndburn Community Safety Partnership -- a co-operative which includes Lancashire Police, Lancashire County Council and Hyndburn Borough Council -- unveiled its new three-year strategy at the Globe Centre, Accrington.

Police will target six key areas -- violent crime, property crime, young people, drugs and alcohol, road safety and community and cultural harmony.

The priorities were identified in an extensive crime and disorder audit which involved interviewing people across Hyndburn on what they thought of the state of crime and disorder in the borough.

Questionnaires were circulated, household surveys were held, the police mounted presentations and there was a town centre roadshow.

The six themes consistently came out as the problems people wanted to see the partnership tackle.

Some action plans are already being implemented.

A police spokesman said: "The imminent introduction of a town-centre drinking ban will assist in reducing the number of violent incidents in Accrington and neighbourhood wardens are being introduced to help reduce property crime in the area.

And extra funding is also available to assist the police in targeting drug dealers in the borough." Mike Chambers, council manager of Hyndburn Borough Council, said: "The new community safety strategy outlines the priority themes that the partnership will tackle over the next three years.

"These areas cannot be effectively tackled by any single organisation.

"The cost of crime and disorder in Hyndburn is met by a number of different agencies and only by working together will we succeed in making Hyndburn safer."

Chief Supt John Thompson, divisional commander for Eastern Division, Lancashire Constabulary, said: "There is already a number of initiatives under way within the borough that are aimed at reducing crime and disorder."

He added: "The police are fully committed to working with our partners in order to have an impact on the areas identified within the community safety strategy.

"It is important that we do work together to make a real difference." Police authorities across the country and councils are required by law to produce an audit every three years to decide the way their area is to be policed.

The number of people becoming victims of violent crime in Hyndburn averages out at 8.74 per thousand, although in the Barnfield area of Accrington that rises to 45.41.

The total costs of violent crime in Hyndburn each year is £10.8million.