Respect areas get yobs cash

The 40 most yob-hit areas are to be made 'respect' areas in a huge crackdown on anti-social behaviour, it was revealed today.

The Government's "respect tsar" Louise Casey said town halls would have to agree to crack down on yobbish behaviour in exchange for extra resources.

The Tories dismissed the plan as a "gimmick".

It came as the West Midlands' most senior police officer told the Express & Star Asbos were working, but more needed to be done to bridge the gap between young and old in the region.Ms Casey said: "There are going to be 40 respect areas.

"These are areas we have selected on the basis of indexes such as deprivation and high levels of anti-social behaviour but also on truancy, exclusion from school and other things.

"We approached these authorities and asked if they wanted to become respect areas and now they have signed up for it. They have to convince us they will do it."

The 40 local authority areas are expected to be named next month.

They will be expected to use the full range of powers available to them to combat the problem, she added.

But Mr Davis said: "This is an admission of Government failure."