A SPECIAL community officer has been given a top Hampshire award for helping to expand a community safety scheme.

Rob Green, an accredited community safety officer (ACSO), won the Margaret Leece Community Safety Officer of the Year Award.

The accolade recognised Mr Green's work in expanding Hampshire County Council's ACSO service to cover the whole of the county after it was piloted in four locations, including Basingstoke.

The award, which is in its second year, was named after Margaret Leece, an ACSO on the Basingstoke team who died following a collision with a car in January 2005.

Councillor Ken Thornber, leader of the county council, said: "Rob is a highly-motivated officer and all his hard work and efforts for both the service and the wider community deserve to be rewarded.

"Rob is an integral part of the central team and has proved to be a great mentor for new staff.

"He leads by example and consistently shows initiative in tackling problems and coming up with fresh ideas."

Mr Green was made deputy leader of the central team, based in Winchester, in December 2006 and has since been heavily involved in the expansion of ACSOs to cover all of Hampshire.

The scheme aims to tackle anti-social behaviour problems such as under-age drinking, untaxed vehicles, cycling on footpaths, fly-tipping and abandoned vehicles.