A public meeting is being held about a scheme to tackle dysfunctional families in Bradford.

The Families First programme aims to turn around the lives of around 1,760 households across the district.

The three-year programme hopes to cut crime and anti-social behaviour caused by these families, get jobless parents into work and reduce truancy among their children.

It also aims to help the troubled households combat problems such as debt, substance abuse and domestic violence.

The project is run by the Council, police and health service. It is the local arm of a national Government plan which began last year when Prime Minister David Cameron pledged to reform 120,000 problem families by 2015.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said it would “break an inter-generational cycle of misery and failure with these families”.

He said intervening early to help such households, rather than reacting to their problems, would also save taxpayers’ money.

It is a ‘payment by results’ programme – local authorities receive cash if they meet a set of targets, like cutting truancy or youth crime.

But local managers were forced to defend the scheme in March after figures seemed to show it hadn’t notched up a single success.

It was revealed that Bradford had yet to receive any payouts, while Leeds, in comparison, had recorded 135 successes.

Councillor Ralph Berry, portfolio holder for children’s services, said this was because Bradford hadn’t sent through its results by that point, and insisted the programme was working.

He said: “It looks like it’s becoming quite effective. It needs some refinement but we feel we have got some good practice here.”

Now a forum is being held so people can find out more about the project. It will discuss the pros and cons of the ‘payment by results’ approach.

Kath Tunstall, strategic director of children’s services at Bradford Council, said: “This is a great opportunity to hear about this important initiative.”

The event takes place on Wednesday June 19 at the One in a Million School, The Bantams Business Centre, Valley Parade, from 4.30pm. To book a place, phone (01274) 431806.