AN innovative Bolton scheme to tackle business Crime is attracting interest from towns throughout the country.

The borough-wide Business Security Initiative, launched last year, has a team of multi-skilled project officers dedicated to reducing crime and repeat victimisation.

The free and impartial service includes security and safety audits, risk assessments, a victim support package, in-house workshops, seminars and staff crime reduction training.

Security grants are available in the Central, Derby, Halliwell and Farnworth wards of Bolton.

The £1.5 million scheme, scheduled to run until March, 2002, has been supported by various sources including the European Regional Development Fund, Single Regeneration Budget 3, Bolton Council and the private sector.

Other partners include Greater Manchester Police, Bolton and Bury Chamber, Opus Insurance, Barclays Bank and the Bolton Town Centre Company.

It has evolved from the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, which placed a duty on the police and local authorities to work together with local organisations to tackle crime and local disorder.

Bolton's Crime and Disorder Partnership has identified a reduction in the number of crimes against business premises as one of its priorities.

The team is based at Bolton Town Hall in the Environment Department's Economic and Physical Development Unit.

More than 150 enquiries have been received so far and these have resulted in more than 90 security audits and risk assessment reports being completed.

Project Manager Alan Simpson said today: "We are trying to empower businesses to look after themselves with our support and guidance."

He is convinced from the response so far that there is a demand from the business community for the new service being provided.

"I believe that Bolton is the first town to tackle the problem in this way," he said.

Local concerns include anti-social behaviour by young people outside shops and ram-raiding on industrial estates.

There is a persistent belief that many incidents involving business premises go un-reported.

Cllr Guy Harkin, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: "It's taken some time to assemble the various skills we wanted for this initiative but we were determined to get things right from day one.

"Security is a prime concern of businesses and we will be co-ordinating ways in which businesses can be helped to protect their investment.

"We are also extending the successful business victims of crime scheme piloted in the 3Ds area to a borough-wide one."

Mr Simpson said they had received enquiries from various other towns interested in starting similar ventures.

A former police inspector, he later advised the boards of several large companies on major security projects and budgets.

The other members of his team are:

VINCENT GLOVER, Business Advisor, Security Management. After 22 years with the Royal Air Force Security Services he was employed as Area Security Manager for a leading UK retail chain before spending two years as a fraud investigator with Trafford Council.

JOANNE BEAUMONT, Project Officer, Training and Research. She was previously employed in Criminal Intelligence for both the National Criminal Intelligence Service and the police in the North-east. As an Intelligence Analyst, she has directed target operations against computer crime, banking fraud and drug distribution.

ABIGAIL BOYSON, Project Co-ordination, Grant Schemes. Before joining the Bolton team she supported Salford City Council's Business Security Initiative. She offered advice to firms on the grant application process and other security initiatives.

You can contact the team on 01204 336133. Brochures and leaflets available on request. A nationwide poll of 1,500 businesses for the Yellow Pages Group revealed that 53 per cent of firms believed they were at risk of being burgled.

Twentynine per cent had been victims in the last three years and in the same period, 39 per cent had suffered criminal damage and vandalism.

Here in the North-west, two thirds of those questioned said they had taken steps to prevent crime hitting their property. Sixtynine per cent had fitted alarm systems, 61 per cent had installed security lighting, 49 per cent had provided security grills on windows and 35 per cent had used closed circuit TV.

Sixty per cent of North-west respondents said they were spending an estimated £2,500 a year on additional insurance.