THE district council should stump up emergency cash to save an under-threat initiative credited with combating crime and anti-social behaviour, it has been claimed.

Four neighbourhood warden and street warden schemes - three in Kidderminster and one in Stourport - face the axe after March 2004 when the Government stops paying its 50 per cent share of the cost.

Wyre Forest District Council's overview and scrutiny committee has recommended to the council's executive - which meets tonight - to explore budget provision to secure the schemes' future.

The annual bill to support the seven uniformed wardens - who patrol certain areas and liaise with both the police and the community - is £200,000. Whitehall has yet to decide whether to fund the three street warden schemes until March 2005.

District councillor Mike Oborski, who sits on the committee, stressed it was vital all the schemes were saved.

"The warden service has done a first rate job in cutting crime and making life better and safer in many areas, including the Offmore and Comberton area which I represent, right across Wyre Forest," he said.

Mr Oborski added the committee's recommendations had received cross-party support.

Councillor Jamie Shaw said the district council and the police were the two members of the Wyre Forest Community Safety Partnership - which administers the initiative - with the budgets to fill the funding gap after next March.

Mr Shaw, who represents Areley Kings, which is also patrolled by wardens, said the district council could afford to spend tens of thousands of pounds a year supporting the wardens until permanent funding arrangements are agreed.

District council leader Howard Martin praised the schemes and acknowledged the organisation had recorded a £900,000 surplus in the last financial year but said its financial future was still uncertain.

"We're looking at what budget provisions we can make with the community safety partnership to provide a long-term street warden scheme." He added: "It will have to be prioritised with a whole lot of other things."

Mr Martin, who blamed the Government for withdrawing funding, said there was no dispute between political parties on the schemes' future. Currently half their cost is paid by Wyre Forest Community Housing tenants in the areas involved but the community safety partnership does not think they would foot the entire bill.