CRIMEFIGHTERS are claiming success for their three-year scheme to reduce offences and disorder across the sprawling Richmondshire area.

Since 2005 the Richmondshire Community Safety Partnership has worked on a number of different projects to cut crime.

And their latest figures indicate that crime across the district has dropped by 23 per cent over the three years.

The figures include a reduction in house burglaries of 55 per cent, theft from a person down by 59 per cent and theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle down by 35 per cent.

Other crimes included in the overall figure are theft from a motor vehicle, vehicle inference, theft of a pedal cycle, criminal damage, common assault, wounding, robbery, burglary other than a dwelling and violent crime.

The overall drop exceeds the 19.4 per cent target set by the Government - and the Partnership is now claiming it is the best result in the country in comparison to similar areas.

The chair of the Partnership, Richmondshire District Council's executive director Liz Smith, said: "We are delighted by the results and it shows that partnership work is really effective.

"There are many people who have contributed with this effort - and of course, that includes the community as a whole.

"However, we cannot afford to be complacent, and we have now written our plan for the next three years.

"That will take on board issues that the wider community is concerned about, including reducing antisocial behaviour and improving road safety - so it should be a busy time."

The Partnership is a statutory body that was formed in 1998 with the express purpose of tackling crime, disorder and drugs issues in Richmondshire.

There are six compulsory partners - Richmondshire District Council, North Yorkshire County Council, the police, the police authority, the fire service and the local primary care trust. There are also a number of other partners, including several from the voluntary sector.

It is part of the Local Strategic Partnership, and is working to achieve the "Safe Places" part of Richmondshire's Community Strategy.