THE vice-chairman of Cleveland Police Authority has welcomed moves by the Government to launch a campaign against serial offenders.

Councillor Dave McLuckie has also backed moves to greatly increase funding for community support officers, which he said would give much greater powers and resources to tackle individuals who commit anti-social and criminal behaviour.

The announcements form part of the Government's plans to cut offending by 15 per cent by 2008 and include moves to introduce satellite tracking for the 5,000 most prolific offenders in the country. Funding for community support officers will be quadrupled, and schemes involving police, councils and other agencies in tackling anti-social behaviour, such as town centre disorder and nuisance neighbours, will be expanded.

Coun McLuckie said: "It's a frightening fact that in this area around half of our local crime is committed by just ten per cent of offenders.

"The Government is exactly right in setting its sights firmly on the relatively small number of serial offenders who wreak havoc in far too many of our communities."