A FORMER top policeman says a national registration scheme for bouncers is being introduced at the cost of local knowledge.

Retired Cleveland Superintendent John Turner says introduction of the Security Industry Authority (SIA) regulations has sounded the death knell for the Cleveland Door Supervisor Registration Scheme, which for years vetted bouncers and licensed premises.

The committee running the scheme was made up of representatives of all four Teesside councils, Cleveland Police and licensees.

Mr Turner said: "It worked fantastically well, improving standards among people working on the doors of nightclubs and pubs.

"You had a cross-section of the local community, a wealth of local background knowledge on premises and people and this is going to be lost.''

The last act of the old committee was the handing over yesterday of a cheque for £2,500, the residue of enrolment fees left in its kitty, to the 96.6 TFM Make A Child Smile appeal for under-privileged and ill children.

Cleveland Police gave door staff a long change-over period before enforcing the new rules, to allow people to get their new licences.

There were 659 door staff registered under the old Cleveland scheme, but until two months ago, only 102 licences has been issued to staff working on the doors of licensed premises on Teesside, although that figure has now increased.

Superintendent Mick Sedlatschek, head of community development for the force, said: "We are spoilt in Cleveland - the Cleveland Door Supervisor Registration Scheme did a good, effective job.

"But we have regular meetings with the SIA in this area and they are more than happy with the situation in Cleveland and are processing applications according to their criteria.''

The cheque presentation was at the Tall Trees, near Yarm, where owner Javed Majid made the cheque up to £3,000.