A TEAM of 'grotbusters' is being drafted in to deal with environmental problems in three areas of the borough.

The council has been successful in its bid to gain £127,000 Government funding for street wardens for the Broomwood, Sale Moor and Lostock areas.

The wardens' main role will be to provide a rapid response to environmental issues in these areas.

Each of the three areas will have its own street warden who will be provided with a motor scooter. There will also be a central rapid-response vehicle with a driver to help the street wardens in dealing with litter and other problems. All the areas involved have strong resident groups who are involved in neighbourhood management forums and have organised community "clean up" days.

The funding for the scheme will be provided on a similar basis to that for the existing neighbourhood wardens scheme which currently provides five wardens in Old Trafford and 5 wardens in Partington.

The new wardens will link closely with Trafford's existing neighbourhood wardens, partners and resident groups to deal with other issues such as anti-social behaviour, vandalism and noise nuisance.

The Transport Department has also approved £118,600 funding for street wardens on the Sale West estates and they will be closely aligned to the existing neighbourhood wardens there. Irwell Valley Housing Association will employ the Sale West wardens and although they are not part of the Trafford scheme they will work with council officers and wardens.

Cllr Barry Brotherton, Trafford's cabinet member with responsibility for community safety, says: "The new wardens will be concentrating on environmental issues but will also deal with social nuisance and other local problems where appropriate. Residents in the three areas involved in this project have already shown a great willingness to link with the council to improve their areas and this new initiative will help to cement those links."

The bid for funding was part of Trafford's response to the recent community strategy survey which showed that many residents thought litter and environmental problems are an important issue.