CRIME is at the forefront of people's minds these days. They are afraid their houses will be burgled, their cars vandalised and their grannies mugged.

So it is unfortunate that Bolton Council has seen fit to pull out of the Homewatch scheme in a bid to save £24,000 a year. It means that two Homewatch co-ordinators who were paid to develop the initiative in Bolton will go as part of a package of cuts.

Among those cuts is one affecting the annual tea, coffee and biscuits bill for councillors which will be reduced from £5,000 to £3,000. There is a simple way that could be reduced even further and the resultant savings ploughed back into crime prevention schemes. Let the councillors pay for their own refreshments.

We doubt that there are many employers who pay for their workers' refreshments. Why should the people of Bolton pay for their elected representatives to have a cuppa? Let the councillors lead by example in this cost-cutting exercise.

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