STREET wardens in Waltham Forest will be axed as part of plans to tackle crime.

The wardens, employed by the council since 2003 to combat crime in the borough, are regularly praised in the Guardian's pages for their engagement with the community.

As well as monitoring crime, the 18 wardens, who wear distinctive red shirts, often arrange activities for young people and raise money for charity.

But now they are being scrapped and replaced with 10 police officers, and eight council officers with powers to clampdown on flytipping, graffiti and littering - this is despite wardens themselves being given powers to fine people for environmental crime last year.

The wardens are likely to be made redundant before the summer, and it is not clear whether they will be eligible to apply for the new vacancies.

Cllr Afzal Akram, the council's cabinet member for community safety, said the new service will cover the whole borough, whereas the wardens work from bases in Walthamstow, Leyton and Leytonstone.

Cllr Akram said: "Our street wardens have been fantastic public servants to Waltham Forest and I would like to personally thank them for their hard work.

"However the borough has changed dramatically in the last few years and we need to re-organise our enforcement services to more effectively meet the needs of residents."

The wardens' reported reluctance to fine people using the recently-acquired enforcement powers is also one of the reasons for scrapping the service.

Cllr Matt Davis, Conservative council group leader, said: "It's a shame that the street warden service has to go in order to fund the new enforcement activities, but these are badly needed.

"It is a tough decision but I think having 10 extra police officers is the best thing for the borough."

The new measures are still subject to consultation with the street wardens.

The consultation ends on February 21.

If the plans go ahead the wardens will have ceased to operate by the summer.

The council will part-fund the team of 10 new police officers, led by an Inspector and Sergeant.

A council spokesman said the officers will tackle gang activity and work with local colleges.