BRITAIN'S biggest community protection force has received a big thumbs-down from residents of the town it patrols.

Seventy per cent of people questioned in a survey said street wardens had failed to make a difference in Middlesbrough.

The survey comes six years after Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon announced plans for a 90-strong army of wardens to reclaim the streets and help replace fear with hope.

Local politicians will tomorrow to discuss the implications of the results - commissioned by Middlesbrough Council.

Ten questions were put to residents and, according to a report to be considered by the district council's community safety and leisure scrutiny panel, the majority did not feel any safer, considered there was no change in crime, anti-social behaviour or support.

Scrutiny support officer Peter Clark said in his analysis of the findings: "Since the introduction of wardens, the majority of the public consider there has been no change in improving their feeling of well-being."

Councillor Brenda Thompson said: "Unfortunately, it is difficult to assess the effect of any deterrent by means of a survey, which is merely impressionistic.

"Statistics, however, show that Middlesbrough people now live in cleaner, safer streets thanks to the warden service and this is borne out by the many letters and phone calls the service receives and, indeed, by the number of awards the service has received.

"Nevertheless, the council takes the views of the people of Middlesbrough seriously in shaping and developing services."

She said street wardens played an important role in the community, building up relationships and trust.

"The wardens can't change local environments on their own - they need the help and support of local residents.

"The wardens sort out a whole range of local problems, but they aren't an alternative to the police, and they don't have the same powers. However, their high-visibility presence is a deterrent to anti-social behaviour and helps stop low-level crime in the first place," she insisted.

Jan Richmond, the council's chief executive, said people often became confused about the specific role wardens played in crime prevention. The service is being restructured