NEWPORT council is being forced to raise wages to try to stem an exodus of community safety wardens.

Staff turnover hit alarming levels during an 18-month stretch as 72% of trained wardens quit to earn more with the police or in other public sector jobs.

Wardens currently getting £13,500 to £16,000 a year were tempted by the prospects as police community safety officers (PCSO) paid between £14,500 and £16,500.

Others have quit for better-paid public sector jobs, such as social work or teaching.

The wardens are a frontline defence against anti-social behaviour, and patrol Newport until midnight to deal with residents' complaints.

From April the council plans to increase their pay to a band of £14,800 to £18,500, pending government approval of community safety guidelines. Councillor Bob Bright, cabinet member for public protection, said: "We had to stop the haemorrhaging of staff leaving for the police and to other related jobs.

"By rejigging the service we've made more funds available to increase salaries.

"We were concerned because we were training our wardens up, only to see them turned into PCSOs."

A review of the rangers in the 18 months from April 2002 to September 2003 showed 13 out of 18 staff left the service - nine of them for better pay. During that time the service was at full strength for only five months, although it is now at full force of 18 wardens and three senior wardens.

Stephen Davison, head of public protection and environmental services, said the high turnover "is aggravated by the increased demands on staff and the availability of less demanding and better paid local opportunities."

He added that the "high level" of service offered by Newport rangers was unsustainable with such high wastage of staff, and would burden the council with cost of continual recruiting and training. A report to be discussed by councillors next week says the rangers have "excellent response rates", and provide "good value for money."