A DRIVE to make Hartlepool safer, cleaner and more attractive has received a boost.

The borough council has created a strengthened Neighbourhood Action Team, bringing together its environmental action team and the 24 community wardens operating in the town.

Neighbourhood action manager Craig Thelwell said: "A lot has already been achieved in terms of cleaning up the town, but we hope the new team will result in a more co-ordinated and effective response to environmental problems affecting communities."

The community wardens, who are funded by New Deal for Communities (NDC) and the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF), were previously part of the council's community services department, while the environmental action team operated under the umbrella of neighbourhood services. The integrated team will be part of neighbourhood services.

Mr Thelwell said: "The wardens' reassurance role out on the streets means they are ideally placed to identify problems such as graffiti, litter and fly-tipping that can significantly affect residents' quality of life.

"By bringing together the wardens and the former environmental action team, we aim to improve our channels of communication to ensure that action to address any problems is as swift as possible.

"The wardens, many of whom live in the areas in which they work, have become an established part of community life and many residents have told us that their presence on the streets makes them feel much safer."