Lib Dem councillors in bid to save street crime wardens

12.40.18pm GMT Wed 31st Jan 2007

Lib Dems are fighting to save the street warden service

Labour's plan to scrap Lambeth's acclaimed street crime warden schemes is to be subjected to public examination following a challenge by opposition Liberal Democrat councillors.

Streatham councillor Roger Giess has "called in" the Labour Cabinet's decision, complaining that it was taken without consultation, without waiting for the results of a council review, with little regard to the wardens' community safety successes, in disregard of first-hand evidence supporting the wardens and without taking into account the wardens' success in promoting community cohesion.

Cllr Giess has also attacked the lack of information about the supposed alternative of funding a much smaller team of 21 police community support officers. He says the Cabinet took its decision without any explanation of which parts of the borough will be served by the PCSOs and without considering how the wardens' role in tackling "enviro-crime" and community work will be replaced.

The Environment and Community Safety Scrutiny committee meets at 7pm on Tuesday February 6 in Lambeth Town Hall assembly room to hear the call-in.

Cllr Giess commented: "Our hard pressed police need these Wardens to be their eyes and ears on our streets. Our local police cannot be everywhere. We need a full team of Wardens to keep an eye on streets, gather information and tackle crimes like graffiti and vandalism that the police do not have time for".