CRAVEN'S Community Safety Partnership is backing a bid for funding to set up an accommodation project, aimed at local people struggling with drug or alcohol problems.

Representatives from various groups including the probation service, the Craven Organisation for Drugs and Alcohol, and Craven District Council have formed a working party to initiate the bid for capital and revenue funding.

If successful, the money will come from the Safer Community Supported Housing Fund.

The partnership has recognised that Craven has a serious drug and alcohol problem, and believes that stable accommodation is a major factor in successfully overcoming such an addiction.

Probation officer Beccy Hunt told partnership members at a recent strategy day that 40 per cent of offenders coming into contact with Skipton Probation Office had a drug or alcohol problem related to their offending.

And in 31 per cent of cases in Craven, accommodation problems were identified as a further factor directly related to offending.

The bid, put together by Stonham Housing on the partnership's behalf, aims at providing rented accommodation, as self-contained as possible, with a housing support worker working closely with the tenants.

The worker would visit daily, and liaise with other agencies to ensure the tenants received intervention, support and the treatment necessary for them to overcome their addiction.

Essential criteria for accessing such accommodation would be: the motivation to change, a willingness to accept the help offered, and being local to Craven.

The partnership is hoping to hear whether its bid has been successful by the end of the month.