Millions of pounds will be poured into community schemes across the district after marathon meetings of the district's area panels.

Bradford West, South, North and Shipley Area Panels had £2.45 million from Government Neighbourhood Renewal Fund to award projects.

The biggest single award of £136,000 went to Bradford South anti-crime partnership, which will go towards a ground-breaking scheme aimed at the Holme Wood estate.

It means the estate's two community constables will be joined by two special community officers and projects involving the police, youth, health and education services will be set up with the aim of improving the lives of the residents.

The total project will cost about £550,000 and has attracted other funding.

But community safety inspector John McGill said they were delighted with the award which is crucial to the scheme.

He said: "There are some wonderful things going on in Holme Wood and we will be linking into other groups and agencies."

It was one of 20 projects aimed at reducing crime which received £360,000 from Bradford South Area Panel.

Chairman Councillor Robert Reynolds said: "These projects aim to reduce burglary in crime hot-spots.

"I know that many residents in the Bradford South area are suffering from high levels of crime, in part a consequence of the Government's failure to adequately fund the police."

More than £200,000 is being poured into boosting the lives of people in the Shipley area.

An advice and information bus for the area was one of the initiatives given the go-ahead by members of the Shipley Community Area Panel.

Eileen Sinclair, a member of Bingley Voluntary Action's management committee which submitted the bid, said it would be a vital service in combating deprivation in outlying areas.

"Places like Cottingley and Denholme are really cut off because of the limited bus services and people living out there who don't have cars find it difficult to access information and help," she said. "If we put all the villages together and looked at the deprivation it would probably amount to the same as the whole of Bradford."

The minibus will be available for use by a range of agencies and will provide help and support on a number of issues, such as training and benefits.

Cash was also granted for a number of facilities in Baildon including £2,500 towards a long-awaited disabled toilet at the St Hugh's centre, plus another £500 for a hot-water system. Stewart Main, community development worker at the Coach Road centre, said he was delighted. "We have about 250 people coming here every week and this money will make such a difference," he said.

Councillor Graham Thornton (Lib Dem, Baildon), a member of the panel, said the St Hugh's centre was a 'lighthouse in the middle of the rough sea'.

Najeeb Ahmed, the Council's neighbourhood renewal funding co-ordinator, said: "I feel the appraisal panels, applicants and all concerned went through an incredible amount of work in a very short time and are to be commended."