Traffic wardens in East Lancashire could become community police officers as early as next year following a shake-up in the management of parking offences.

Under the new scheme, expected to start in November, 2003, parking offences will be "decriminalised" and dealt with by district councils instead of the police.

Highways chiefs in Blackburn, Hyndburn and and Ribble Valley have been in talks with Lancashire Constabulary over the future of traffic warden duties.

District councils will have the option of employing their own traffic attendants or sub-contracting the work to private companies.

Lancashire Constabulary has welcomed the move as a way of freeing up officers and cash to tackle more serious crime.

Around 97 traffic wardens in Lancashire will be asked whether they want to become community police officers or traffic attendants.

In Accrington, community wardens were introduced earlier this year.

They are based at the police station and employed by Hyndburn Borough Council to tackle problems such as abandoned vehicles, litter, dog fouling and youth nuisance.

They do not have the power of arrest but can issue fixed penalty notices for litter and dog fouling.

Each warden is equipped a with a radio linked to the police station to pass on information of any problems in their designated areas.

But their initial priority is on environmental issues.

Traffic wardens in Lancashire handed out over 70,000 fixed penalty tickets in 1999-2000, with money raised from fines going to central government.

The new scheme will see the cash going straight to council coffers to be used to improve road safety and tackle rogue drivers.

The finalised plans have been put before the Ribble Valley Council's car parks working group and are expected to be discussed shortly.

The council's engineering manager Graham Jagger said: "We have only just looked at the joint report on this matter and it will be presented to councillors within two months."

Councillors in Blackburn and Darwen are also expected to consider the new scheme within the next few months.

The council's executive director for regeneration Graham Burgess said: "The police in partnership with the council and Capita have been investigating the possibility of introducing decriminalised parking enforcement in Blackburn with Darwen.

"This means that direct parking enforcement staff will be sent to specific areas at any time during the day or night to deal with particular problems, thus providing a round-the-clock service.

"Traffic wardens will transfer to our employment or remain with the police in other roles.

"A report will be submitted to the council within the next few months and, providing approval is granted from both local and central government, the new system of working should be up and running by the beginning of 2004."

A spokesman for Lancashire Constabulary said the final decision on the future of traffic wardens would be taken after the respective district councils had responded to the finalised plans.