PARISH and town councils - the lowest tier of government - will be given powers to hand out on-the-spot fines in the latest crackdown on loutish behaviour.

The £40 fixed penalty notices, for offences including littering, graffiti, flyposting and night-time noise, are at present issued only by wardens employed by local authorities.

But in a speech in London, Tony Blair insisted it was time to extend the fightback against criminals, louts and nuisance neighbours.

The Prime Minister said: "Local communities know best about the problems of anti-social behaviour, but we need to give more power to people to help them tackle it."

However, the move, which will require an Act of Parliament, was attacked as a gimmick by the Tories, who insisted that only extra police on the streets could tackle soaring levels of crime and disorder.

Fresh powers will also allow civil courts to force people given an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) to undergo drug treatment, a sanction at present available only for people convicted of a crime.

Home Secretary David Blunkett said it would be used against drug users and pushers linked to crime gangs.

As revealed by The Northern Echo yesterday, Middlesbrough, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Newcastle are among 50 new action areas leading the fight against anti-social behaviour.

Easington, east Durham, and York have also been awarded the status. The get-tough approach is already running in Sunderland, which has issued 20 Asbos in 12 months.

The six action areas will be urged to draw up plans to focus on their 50 worst troublespots.

They will be given intensive Home Office help to gather the evidence necessary to obtain Asbo orders banning yobs from areas.

The powers were announced as the Government issued a report that revealed North-East authorities are using existing legislation less than councils elsewhere.

Of 2,633 Asbos obtained in the year to September, 103 were in the North-East - the lowest total of any region.

During the period, 418 dispersal orders were issued against gangs in England and Wales, but only eight were in the North-East - again the lowest.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that 36 per cent of Asbos are breached, although the Government says many of these re-offenders then end up behind bars.

The latest Government crackdown has been treated with scepticism in parts of the region, including in Great Ayton, North Yorkshire, where earlier this year 50 youths went on the rampage.

Great Ayton Parish Council chairman Len Groves said: "The police and district councils have powers to do this sort of thing. Short of us getting paid workers to hand out the fines, I can't see this working."

In Middleton St George, near Darlington, which also has problems with anti-social behaviour, parish councillor Andy Hill said: "If it means you can walk down the street and there aren't 25 kids hanging around intimidating pensioners and there's no rubbish on the streets, then it's a good thing, but I would like to know who is going to enforce this."

* Rob Jones, who manages the anti-social behaviour programme for South Tyneside Council, has been appointed by Darlington's Community Safety Partnership as a full-time anti-social behaviour co-ordinator.

On Teesside, Cleveland Police are to use special powers to break up groups of youths, and escort some youngsters home.

The force will use a dispersal order to crack down on anti-social behaviour in Marske, Eston and Ormesby, in Middlesbrough, from today until January 3.