New threat to street wardens stopped

5.10.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 4th Aug 2008

Zahid Shah backed the campaign to save the street wardens

When they were in control of Wolverhampton Council local Labour councillors were happy to see the Street Wardens scheme scrapped. But last May's elections left the City Council with no party in control. The five Lib Dem councillors allowed the Tories to form a minority administration provided they kept a list of promises. Top of the list was to continue the Street Wardens scheme.

Then came reports of plans to take the wardens out of the communities they serve and base them in an office in the City centre.

Zahid Shah, who came very close to defeating the then City Council leader, said "We campaigned not only to keep the wardens but to keep them local. I called on my Liberal Democrat colleagues who serve on the City Council to tell the Tory Council bosses in no uncertain words that their plans were a disaster for Whitmore Reans. The crazy plan has now been scrapped and the Whitmore Reans Street Wardens will be able to continue with their good work ."

There is enough money to fund them until March 2009 but new money will have to be found to keep them going after that. Zahid Shah will keep up the pressure to make this happen