Trouble 'time bomb' threat if Wolverhampton neighbourhood wardens go

That is the view of one of the serving wardens, who told the Express & Star she has received confirmation from council bosses that the scheme will cease operations in June.

Wolverhampton City Council has earmarked the 14-year-old programme for the axe in a bid to save £480,000 as it battles crippling budget cuts.

The axing of the scheme has not yet been officially rubber-stamped, but at a meeting last week the city's remaining 13 wardens were told they would be receiving their notices in early April.

The warden, who asked not to be named, said: "It looks final now. We were told at the meeting that there will be another consultation, but that all of us will be receiving our notice on April 8.

"The job we do covers so many areas of the city that really need our help and support. Once we're gone you have to wonder who is going to pick up the slack.

"We're left with the potential for a time bomb of trouble in some of the city's deprived areas."

The neighbourhood wardens scheme was launched in the city in 2001, initially with two wardens working in Low Hill.

At its peak there were 48 wardens working across the city, focusing on areas of high crime and deprivation, but the service was cut down to 30 in 2013 and now only 13 remain.

Wardens have become the first port of call for many residents requiring support across the city.

As well collecting and disposing of syringes from drug using hotspots - including children's play areas - wardens have become known for their crime-fighting expolits.

Last year they provided vital information that assisted police in bringing down 19-year-old Bilston drug dealer Ravi Bennings, while a campaign to get sex workers off the streets in Ettingshall was also launched.

Recently they have secured funding for 'knife bins' to be stationed in East Park and Bilston in the wake of the murder of 21-year-old Josh Price, who was stabbed to death near his home in Stowlawn.

Councillor Linda Leach, who represents Bilston North for Labour on Wolverhampton City Council, said it will be difficult to replace the work wardens do across the city.

"It is incredibly sad that we are losing them," she said. "They are a go-between for residents who may not want to deal with the police or authority figures directly.

"They have done so much work in Bilston and I honestly don't know how they can be replaced. It will put a lot more pressure on the police and PCSOs. A lot of people don't want to talk to someone in a uniform and I know people who would rather open up to a warden.

"I understand why we have had to make the cutbacks and it wasn't an easy decision for anyone on the council to make. It's just so sad."

Last year 3,500 people signed a petition to keep the wardens, but the scheme was not one of the top three picks in a public consultation asking residents what services they would like to spare from the axe.