Lib Dems call for neighbourhood wardens

12.00.00am GMT Tue 3rd Feb 2004

Northampton Liberal Democrat Borough Councillors are proposing a pilot scheme of neighbourhood wardens in their budget proposals for the Council.

Neighbourhood Wardens would tackle rubbish blackspots like this

The Lib Dems are proposing that £100,000 is allocated to a pilot scheme for neighbourhood wardens, to be extended in future years. The Deputy Leader of the Lib Dem Group, and prospective parliamentary candidate for Northampton North Cllr. Andrew Simpson said. ' We want wardens working with local people and the police to provide a safer and cleaner environment in which to live. Neighbourhood wardens would tackle litter, graffiti and neighbourhood blackspots. They would be people who local residents would know and could contact to tackle local problems. We will be looking for support from the government and others to support our imaginative plans to make Northampton a safer and cleaner place to live.'

Other key points of the Lib Dem package to be presented to the council meeting on 5th February include:

•A full review of the council's structure, from top to bottom, to achieve savings of over £2million per year.

•No panic redundancies until the review is complete.

•A reduction in the size of the executive and the number of scrutiny committees to save £20,000.

'Our proposals recognise the public demands for the council to help make their environment a safer and more pleasant place to live,' said Lib Dem Group Leader Richard Church. 'At the same time there are tough decisions to be taken if we are to avoid excessive council tax increases for years to come, and we take that problem head on by proposing a fundamental review of the council's structure and services'.