Lib Dem Leader highlights crime as key issue for Local Elections

Liberal Democrat Leader, Sir Menzies Campbell was on the campaign trail today and highlighted crime as a key issue in these local elections, he said: "Preventing crime is very much a liberal issue. The Liberal Democrats have pioneered a wide range of successful crime cutting measures at local level, measures which have a real impact on ensuring that we don't just talk tough on crime, we actually tackle it.

Visiting the Liberal Democrat-controlled London borough of Sutton, Sir Menzies said:

"The Liberal Democrats are taking positive action to reduce crime. In Sutton, our innovative approach to getting the police and local authority to work within a single management structure has produced positive results - improving community safety and reducing the fear of crime."

More than 60 council staff and police officers are located in Sutton Police Station. The teams working together include police safer neighbourhood teams, drug and alcohol abuse services, neighbourhood wardens, parks police, domestic violence services, police community support officers, special constables, police volunteers, schools, youth crime and truancy liaison officers. Both police and local authority licensing departments are also located in the police station.

The themes for the Liberal Democrat campaign are "safer, fairer, greener". The party is also campaigning for the abolition of the unfair council tax and positive environmental action in our local communities.