A scheme costing £3m to tackle persistent young offenders will be given the go-ahead today.

The Tees Valley Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (ISSP) project will bring together the Youth Offending Services in Darlington, Middlesbrough, Stockton and Hartlepool.

The scheme, believed to be the largest in the country, will target the most prolific young offenders and fast-track them into rigorous training, supervision, careers advice and programmes to tackle their criminal activities.

If young offenders fail to stick to the conditions of the scheme, uniformed wardens will work with the police, councils and community to gather intelligence and use techniques such as electronic computers and voice recognition computers to monitor them.

This will make sure they are brought quickly before a court for resentencing if they do not comply with the scheme.

Darlington councillor Bill Dixon said: "I think the value of the council and the police working together and sorting out these types of young people, is shown in this scheme.

"These young people are going to be given a final chance to turn their lives around and if they won't cooperate, then we will have wardens to make sure they are back before the court as soon as possible."

Colin Wilson, head of South Tees Youth Offending Service, said: "The intensive supervision and surveillance scheme will do exactly what it says on the label.

"That is to provide intensive supervision of 25 hours a week, or more when required, and intensive surveillance through electronic tagging, voice verification monitoring and dedicated locally-appointed tracking officers."

The scheme follows a successful bid by youth offending services in the Tees Valley to the Youth Justice Board