A THREE-YEAR blitz on anti-social behaviour is being lined up in Darlington.

A string of measures will aim to tackle the problem, including a crackdown on litter and boosting council support for victims and witnesses of social disorder.

Councillors will next week be told that, while some progress has been made, much more work needs to be done.

Strategies being used to combat crime, disorder and substance misuse will be considered by the public protection and community partnerships scrutiny committee.

The council's director of community services, Cliff Brown, says anti-social behaviour is a top priority.

Over the next three years, the town's community safety partnership will address the problem through enforcement, early intervention, prevention and education.

The committee will hear that action already being taken includes:

* StreetSafe unit - a special, intelligence-led police operation which targets individuals and hotspots.

* Early intervention - working with young people to prevent and deter them from anti-social behaviour and crime. Since 2003, the team has worked with more than 1,056 young people and 90pc of those have not entered or re-entered the criminal justice system.

* Uniformed wardens - high-visibility patrols, some with extra powers to deal with incidents of disorder.

* Anti-social behaviour co-ordinator - the appointment of Rob Jones as the borough's first such officer.

* Anti-social behaviour orders - seven Asbos are in force in Darlington.

Mr Brown also outlines new powers to tackle graffiti, litter, abandoned cars, noise and dog-fouling.

He says plans are being discussed with partners to develop more help for victims and witnesses of disorder and to tackle perpetrators.