Wandsworth is to get a substantial portion of Home Office money this year to help with the crackdown on drug-related crime.

More than £343,000 will go directly to the police to help with drug testing facilities and enforcement, with more than £414,000 allocated to local youth inclusion, anti-social behaviour and drug education projects.

As the borough has been earmarked as one of 30 areas across the UK worst affected by drug crime, a portion of a £46million package will go towards the expansion of court drug treatment and testing orders as well as help for those leaving prison.

A Home Office spokesman said the amount was expected to be finalised soon.

The borough police commander, Chief Superintendent Martin Jauch, said the funding formula involved factors such as the numbers of motor vehicle crimes, shoplifting and burglaries.

He said: "We do know that drug addicts fund their requirement by committing crime, and shoplifting is a very regular feature of funding their habits.

"We are one of the largest London boroughs so it is inevitable that we'll be caught up in that."

Chief Supt Jauch said the money would go towards drug testing in custody suites, surveillance equipment, and projects including drugs education in schools, as well as purely operational purposes, such as enhancing patrols.

He added: "It's not just an enforcement strategy, it's part education and more long-term work. We currently have a team on the Winstanley Estate. If it wasn't for the extra money, we couldn't do it."

A spokesman for Wandsworth Council said it had not yet heard from the Home Office but the allocation would go towards partnerships including, among others, the drug action teams, local health services and the probation service.

Crime Reduction Director for London Ellie Ro, said: "For success in this challenge there needs to be partnership between the police, local authorities, other public agencies, the private and voluntary sectors and most importantly communities themselves."

January 27, 2003 13:30