Kids used by councils to take down number plates

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2008-09-10 16:33:13 - Councils around the country are recruiting children as young as eight to snoop on drivers and write down their number plates. This is a new scheme, which involves around five thousand residents around the UK, who have been offered rewards to catch drivers through their number plates.

Councils using kids to down the number plates of drivers



Harlow Council in Essex said: "We currently have 25 Street Scene Champions who work with the council. They are all aged between 11 to 14. They are encouraged to report the aftermath of enviro-crimes such as vandalism to bus shelters, graffiti, abandoned vehicles, fly-tipping etc. They do this via telephone or email direct to the council."

Drivers should be aware that even the slightest of errors could mean a fine.
Ealing Council in West London said: "There are hundreds of Junior Streetwatchers, aged 8-10 years old, who are trained to identify and report enviro-crime issues such as graffiti and fly-tipping."

What kind of people these kids are going to grow to be is anyone's guess.
Matthew Sinclair, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, described the recruitment of children as "downright sinister".

He said: "We are deeply troubled by these developments - they are straight out of the Stasi copybook. There is a combination of ever-stricter rules and ever more Draconian attempts to control people.

It has to be asked about how they work. Do they write down the number plates of just any car, or is it all cars including those of their family and friends families.

"Councils are using anti-terrorist legislation for the tiniest of things, like the people who put out their bins early, and the threats of fines and prosecutions combine to constitute fleecing the people the councils are meant to be serving."

Dominic Grieve, the shadow home secretary, said: 'In any civilised society the community will engage with the police but it would be plain wrong for young children to be recruited and trained for reward. People want to see the police and other appropriate agencies on our streets catching and deterring
offenders.'

Councillor Sue Emment, Ealing Council's cabinet member for environment and street services, said: 'Ealing Council works with participating schools so Junior Streetwatchers can learn how to help our local environment, take pride in their community and have a sense of civic responsibility.

'Organisations like the TaxPayers' Alliance are fast becoming parodies of themselves and ought to find out about Council schemes before making comments. We feel it is sad that the valuable time these young people are spending on improving the community should be criticised in any way.'

Source [Telegraph]

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