The fight against drugs and street crime in Lambeth has been given a massive boost thanks to a £1.2 million cash hand-out from the Government.

The Home Office last week announced the borough is to receive the money from the Communities Against Drugs (CAD) budget. It is the largest allocation for any London borough. The grant makes up part of the total £70 million being allocated to local authorities across the country.

The CAD funding will be targeted at street crime hotspots with the aim of driving out drug dealers. It will also be used to provide treatment and support for offenders.

Charles Anglin, Lambeth Council executive lead on crime and community safety said: "This is great news - it is a vote of confidence in Lambeth's ability to fight crack cocaine.

"We will use it to make sure all partners across Lambeth are working as one to reclaim our streets."

Streatham MP Keith Hill added: "Class A drugs and crime are clearly linked. Tackling them both is key to ending the cycle of drug dependency and criminal activity which ruins lives and wrecks communities.

"By helping police and residents strengthen their local communities, we are determined to break links between drugs and crime, and make our streets safer."

Police will meet council and community representatives to form crime-fighting partnerships to decide how best to spend the money.

It is likely to be used largely to finance high visibility policing and intelligence gathering projects.

But it will also help fund a range of initiatives including support for neighbourhood and street wardens, recruiting more youth workers and rehabilitation support for drug-users and ex-offenders.

The announcement follows a meeting with Home Secretary David Blunkett last week, during which Lambeth Council chiefs, Acting Commander of Lambeth Police Brian Moore and Streatham MP Keith Hill met to discuss the problems caused by the market for crack cocaine within Lambeth.

Following the meeting a Home Office spokesman said: "The discussion focused on how best to encourage a partnership working and fully acknowledged that this could not be micro-managed from outside.

"We have committed ourselves to pulling together a delivery plan by the end of July."

July 11, 2002 16:30