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Council recruiting 'army of snoopers' for Neighbourhood Champion scheme
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A council was accused today of trying to recruit an "army of
snoopers" to report on their neighbours.
Harrow Council in north west London wants 2,000 people - one for
every 100 residents - to sign up as a "Neighbourhood Champion" and
report minor crimes, anti-social behaviour, litter and
vandalism.
The council denied they were looking for "inveterate curtain
twitchers". A spokesman said they wanted to restore "old-fashioned
community values".
But critics said the scheme would lead to "less trust and more
surveillance".
If the £70,000 plan is approved this week, officials will
begin recruiting volunteers with the aim of starting the scheme
next year.
Each one will be given training from town hall officials and police
officers and issued with a manual setting out their role.
Once the scheme is up and running, they will be given access to a
council website to record their reports.
A council spokesman said they wanted the volunteers to be a point
of contact for the council and report abandoned cars, graffiti and
other problems.
Four fifths of residents questioned in a survey backed the idea of
"street champions" for every neighbourhood.
Councillor Susan Hall said: "This is about extending more influence
to our residents to help us deliver cleaner and safer
streets.
"We have already invested in anti-social behaviour and cleaning
teams, but the reality is that we are not always in a position to
know when problems suddenly crop up.
"I really believe the Neighbourhood Champions network will help us
to deliver cleaner and safer streets.
"We often talk about the loss of community spirit in our
neighbourhoods - I think this is a great way of reclaiming some of
that."
But Alex Deane, director of campaign group Big Brother Watch, said
the "Orwellian" scheme would create an "army of council
snoopers".
He said: "So now councils are trying to get us to spy on one
another.
"If they're successful it will lead to even less trust and ever
more surveillance.
"An Orwellian big brother culture depends on everyone spying on
everyone else - just as Harrow has planned."
