An anti-social behaviour hotline which was scrapped despite more than 70,000 people in Leicestershire using it to report crimes would be brought back if Labour gained power, councillors said today.

The pledge was made for the reinstating of the county's 101 helpline as party leaders discussed how they would tackle crime and disorder ahead of the county council elections on June 4.

Labour leaders said the 24-hour service – which more than 70,000 people called in a little over a year – should not have been axed in 2007 when the Home Office withdrew its funding, and they would ensure it returned.

Its closure was greeted with anger and dismay by people who had used it to report problems ranging from drunken youths and broken street lights to graffiti and fly-tipping.

Labour leader Matthew O'Callaghan said that it is the only way to get police to act quickly and make communities feel safer, so they would find the minimum of £1m a year needed to run it.

He said: "Labour will re-introduce the 101 hotline across the county which was successful in getting rapid action by the police on anti-social behaviour.

"We'll help the police agree with residents priorities for police action in their area. We will implement gating orders on footpaths identified by residents as problem areas.

"Labour will work to keep young people occupied and off the streets where they might cause a nuisance and we will continue funding the 50 police community support officers."

The council, which is under Conservative control, said its measures successfully cut crime and anti-social behaviour in the last four years.

The Tories brought in the Impact project – 18 teams spread across the county as well as 15 youth workers to specifically tackle anti-social behaviour at hotspots.

The council cabinet member for community safety, Councillor Byron Rhodes, said where these operated it reduced the number of children entering the criminal justice system by a third and reduced the number of calls police received about anti-social behaviour by 60%.

He said: "Crime, disorder, anti-social behaviour, local policing and community safety. These are issues top of the political agenda in any county division when you knock on doors.

"One of our main manifesto pledges is to maintain the £300,000 per year for 50 county-wide PCSOs who support the regular police in community safety and are a valuable, visible presence on our street.

"Conservatives pioneered the Youth Impact project in Leicestershire. Funding now stands at £300,000.

"We work closely with other agencies to enable local communities to have a variety of schemes to make their street and communities safer places.

Community watch schemes, no-cold calling zones and Smartwater property protection schemes are all ways communities can work together to send out the strident message to criminals that the game is up."

Liberal Democrat Roger Wilson said Tories are trying to take the credit for their idea to finance the 50 PCSOs for Leicestershire.

He said: "Our stance is very much based on prevention and combating anti-social behaviour before it becomes a more serious crimes. In terms of crime, Liberal Democrats will keep the 50 PCSOs currently funded by the county council.

"We will also work with the police and communities to look into the causes and affects of crime and re-offending locally to see if a local solution can be achieved in partnership – something which Liberal Democrat-controlled Hinckley council received an award for in 2008.

"I have been very fortunate to see first hand the excellent work that the county council's Impact teams have had combating youth-related anti-social behaviour, so I am especially pleased to say that Liberal Democrats are committed to keep these teams and increase the number across the county."

For more information on the local and European elections, visit:

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