COMMUNITY wardens are making people in a Teesside town feel safer in their homes, according to a survey.

And after receiving the informaton, Hartlepool Borough Council has hailed the £600,000-a-year scheme which is funded by two separate Government bodies.

The survey of residents in the Owton and Dyke House wards will be debated by councillors today who will also examine proposals to give the wardens more powers.

The survey, which was completed by 22 per cent of residents in both wards, found that 95 per cent of people were happy with the wardens, 75 per cent feel much or a little safer in their own home and 69 per cent feel much or a little safer out in the neighbourhood at night. However, 46 per cent of people would like patrols to be more visible.

Meanwhile, councillors on Hartlepool Scrutiny Co-ordinating Committee are set to discuss proposals to grant wardens new powers.

They could include issuing fixed penalty notices for dog fouling and littering, confiscating alcohol and tobacco from young people and regulating traffic.

But Ted Morgan, manager of the borough's 24 wardens who operate in Dyke House, Jacksons, Stranton, Park, Owton Manor and Central Hartlepool wards, said it was better that wardens had no powers.

He said: "By not having powers you have to engage with people. You have to really present your arguments to those on the estate and make them see your point of view. It also means that people are more willing to talk to us and give us information.

"Basically we provide a uniform presence, reassure people and act as the eyes and ears of the public, finding out what's happening on any given estate.

"It's very satisfying that we've had this survey and the results have been positive.

"I have passed the information on to the wardens to improve morale. I've studied other ward schemes across the North-East and think we provide as good a service as anywhere."

Four wardens have been physically assaulted in the two years the scheme has been running.