An ambitious £2 million bid is being launched to tackle poverty and transform life for thousands of children in Staffordshire's most deprived communities.

Government officials are being asked to provide the cash lifeline which could help tackle truancy and juvenile crime.

A mammoth public consultation exercise to find out how families would like the money spent is being launched before the final bid is submitted. Police, council and community leaders today welcomed the project, which could also help boost school achievement and offer youngsters a host of activities outside the classroom.

Staffordshire County Council is co-ordinating the application to the Government's Children's Fund, which aims to address poverty and social exclusion among five to 13-year-olds.

If the final project succeeds, Newcastle will receive £276,000 during 2003/04 - the largest share of the cash. Figures show that of the 40,635 children in Staffordshire dependant on Income Support or Family Credit, 6,878 - or 16.9 per cent - live in the borough.

Other areas in line for funding include Stafford Borough, which would get £202,740. The area has 5,029 dependant youngsters, 12.4 per cent of the county's total. The Staffordshire Moorlands, where the figure is 3,722 or 9.2 per cent, would benefit from a successful bid to the tune of £150,420. A separate grant of £2 million has already been awarded to Stoke-on-Trent and is being spent on services to protect vulnerable children.

A county council spokesman said a detailed application for the rest of Staffordshire would be submitted by the end of the year.

He said: "We are bidding now and are expecting a decision in February. If we are successful, everything will start in April.
"The money can be spent on any projects to tackle social exclusion and benefit five to 13-year-olds. These could include educational support, tackling truancy and youth crime or supporting young victims of crime."

"Each district council in Staffordshire must assess its services and identify any areas that are lacking. It will all go forward into the main bid which we hope will be successful."