COUNCIL chiefs today urged Clifton residents to show pride in their neighbourhood as a bold blueprint for the ward's future was unveiled.

The newly-launched Clifton Pride booklet aims to accelerate regeneration of an area containing some of York's poorest estates.

The glossy 30-page publication has handy contacts and advice about anti-social behaviour, community patrols, spy cameras, street lighting, abandoned cars and needles and rubbish collection. It outlines the progress made over the last five years - and new policies shaping the area's future.

Ray Duffill, community development manager, said the ward has previously been considered a "deprived" area. But he said there was "much to be proud of" in a place brimming with "ideas, imagination and enthusiasm".

Introducing the booklet, he said: "Like many communities, Clifton does face its challenges: fear of crime; anti-social behaviour; unacceptable levels of fly-tipping, litter and joyriding. But unlike most other communities, Clifton is rising to meet those challenges, developing a vision for a better future."

He said: "Real change starts when people stop walking by rubbish, graffiti, abandoned cars and crime muttering 'Someone should do something about this' and instead say 'We should do something'.

"Just walking by a problem is not a solution."

Ward councillors also backed the vision statement.

Coun Alan Jones said: "Lots of residents have been involved and they are people who live here 24 hours a day.

"This is all about making Clifton a better place to live - rather than people having to live here, they actually choose to live here."

Fellow Labour member Coun Ken King said the ward had lurched out of the spiral of vandalism and unemployment that blighted it in previous years.

New family housing in previous "eyesore" areas like Peter Hill Drive and Crichton Avenue will be two notable improvements, he said, with Bell Farm improvements and more children's sports facilities also in the pipeline.

In a message to doubters, he said: "If you're not involved, then get involved. This is the way forward."

Updated: 10:23 Saturday, November 15, 2003