Lib Dems attack Labour over decision to scrap crime wardens

1.02.48pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 30th Jan 2007

Labour want to cut the popular crime wardens introduced by the Lib Dems

Lambeth Lib Dem leader Ashley Lumsden has hit out at the Labour administration's decision to scrap the borough's successful warden schemes.

With residents reeling at the shock news of the cut, Cllr Lumsden says that security and community cohesion will be badly damaged by Labour's short-term approach.

A recent poll of Lambeth residents found that crime and the fear of crime is their number one concern, and yet the first action of the new Labour administration is to axe the successful crime-fighting scheme.

In Streatham, 12 Street Crime Wardens are to go and a further 6 Streatham Rangers who patrol the area's housing estates face the chop. In Norwood a further 12 Wardens face an uncertain future and the 5 Warden team is to be scrapped in Princes ward in the North of borough. A further Central Team of 12 Wardens patrolling eight wards will now be consigned to history.

And in Stockwell the promised street wardens scheme - which Labour campaigned for BEFORE the election - has now been scrapped.

In their place Labour proposes a much smaller number of PCSO's who will accompany police officers in their duties around the borough and will be under police control rather than the Council. Labour like to say that the Wardens have no powers of arrest but neither do PCSO's.

In Streatham Police Chiefs have actually praised the work of the wardens saying that their work with the community has been invaluable. The police are also aware that many residents find them more approachable and will pass on valuable intelligence. Wardens have taken part in Police anti-crime initiatives and they carry out a wide range of environmental crime reporting that the Police would be unable to do themselves.

Liberal Democrats saw the Council Wardens as worthwhile and set aside £400,000 for the further roll-out of the scheme Boroughwide during 2007/2008. Labour has just pocketed this money. The only wardens they plan to keep are those on the South Bank which are already subsidised by the British Airways London Eye.

Cllr Lumsden, said "This is a short-term approach by Labour to balance the books at the expense of the long-term wellbeing and security of residents and of fostering improved community cohesion.

"Labour likes to talk tough about crime but their very first action is to dilute a successful solution that actually frees the police to tackle more serious crime. It is unlikely that overstretched police officers will have the time or resources to tackle environmental crime, work with youth, or assist the elderly."

He added, " We live in a complex multi-tiered society, so why does Labour think a cheap one-size-fits-all approach will be better? They think they are being clever by saving money on public safety but we will all live to regret this. In the end Labour costs you more."