A NATIONAL conference aimed at tackling youth crime will be held in Warrington today.

A total of 150 delegates from around the country will attend the conference at the Park Royal Hotel, Stretton, to discuss ways to deal with the growing problem of youth crime.

Particular emphasis will be placed on the creation of Youth Offending Teams, which have to be up and running by the year 2000.

The conference has been organised by Warrington Borough Council, the Home Office and the Audit Commission.

Colin Frogatt, chairman of the council's social services committee, said: "As a new unitary authority we are at the forefront of developments in the criminal justice field.

"We already have Youth Justice Teams operating within social services but we need to broaden and strengthen our links with other agencies.

"There are greater expectations to deliver a service which can give positive and measurable results which the population as a whole can benefit from," he said.

Delegates will examine what strategies are most effective for dealing with youth nuisance as well as crime prevention and community safety approaches to dealing with the problem.

The conference comes only a week after the town's Youth Action project was short-listed for a top national award.

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