NEW police officers funded by scrapping the borough's popular street warden service have now started work in the borough.

The council took the decision to axe the wardens and use the money to part-fund an extra 10 police officers and a further eight environmental officers to tackle flytipping, graffiti, littering and dog foulding.

The council has paid a discounted contribution of £400,000 towards the officers.

Councillors rubber-stamped the move last April in an attempt to “meet residents' expectations” over the tackling of violent and environmental crime.

Six of the new officers will work on tackling gangs in the south of the borough, two will join the Walthamstow High Street safer neighbourhood team to help it police the market and others will work in schools.

The move received cross-party support.

But the decision to axe the familiar street wardens was criticised by some residents and schoolchildren from Jenny Hammond School Primary School, in Worsley Road, Leytonstone wrote to councillors asking that the wardens be retained.

The street wardens, who wore distinctive red shirts, had often been praised for their community work.

They arranged activities for children and older people and raised money for charity.

The new officers begin their duties a week after the Metropolitan Police Authority ruled out reviewing police numbers for Waltham Forest, despite a petition of more than 6,000 residents calling for more officers.

Council leader Chris Robbins had previously said he did not want "preferential treatment" but a "fair deal" for the borough.

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