Featherstone Fights to Keep Popular Neighbourhood Wardens

12.22.00pm GMT Mon 10th Oct 2005

Lib Dems in Haringey have pledged to support the popular Neighbourhood Wardens scheme which is under threat because John Prescott's Office has withdrawn funding under Government schemes to promote community safety- leaving the Council with a £600k funding gap and the Wardens, who cover Northumberland Park, Bruce Grove, Tottenham Green, Noel Park and Bowes Park, Seven Sisters and West Green facing redundancy.

Lib Dem Spokesperson on Policing and Community Safety Cllr Ron Aitken has called for the scheme to continue as the wardens provide visible patrols, enforce against environmental and other offences such as abandoned vehicles, as well as providing sports projects in the summer to hundreds of young people.

Cllr Aitken comments: "The Council's own research indicates that crime is the number one concern of 49% of Haringey residents - an increase of 10 percentage points since 1994, therefore it does not make sense to withdraw funding from the wardens, who provide reassurance to the citizen and vital intelligence to the Police.

"We will be urging John Prescott to reconsider this decision and will also be supporting other sources of funding if the worst comes to the worst."

Lynne Featherstone MP for Hornsey & Wood Green and Lib Dem spokeswoman for Police, Crime and Disorder added: "This is typical of the Labour Government, happy with the kudos from a good headline but unwilling to fund the real work on the ground in the longer term.

"I will be writing to John Prescott to ask him to re-consider this decision."