COUNCIL chiefs have unveiled their strategy for dealing with anti-social behaviour in the borough.

A report - Promoting Positive Behaviour - recommends a three-pronged attack to deal with crime, vandalism, violence and drinking and drug taking in Halton over the next two years.

The strategy focuses on three specific areas:

* To prevent and deter anti-social behaviour.

* To protect victims and punish perpetrators.

* To rehabilitate yobs.

Central to the plans is the introduction of a community watch scheme to allow residents to report problems in their neighbourhoods.

A council spokesman said: 'Anti-social behaviour is not predominantly a youth problem and young people are more likely to be a victim of crime than commit crime themselves.

'Anti-social behaviour means different things to different people - noisy neighbours who ruin the lives of those around them, crackhouses run by drug dealers, drunks taking over town centres, people begging, litter and graffiti, young people using airguns to threaten and intimidate, or people misusing fireworks.'

In just one week in August 526 incidents of anti-social behaviour were reported to Halton police with a further 389 incidents recorded by other agencies.

simon.drury@cheshirenews.co.uk