THE latest Tory import to Bury South, Alex Williams, criticises the Government (Letters, October 29) saying crime has risen and that there is too much "bureaucracy".

Crime in this area has fallen.With his criticism Mr Williams undermines the hard work put in by the police, the local authority and others in achieving this success.

Under this government we have more police, community wardens and CCTV in this area, and extra funding to enable the police to be equipped with the latest technology to fight crime. Historically, when unemployment falls so does crime. Not that the party who gave us 3.5 million on the dole would know much about that!

The Government has given the police and local authorities more powers to deal with the "yob culture" and anti-social behaviour he refers to than any other government in history. That's not "bureaucracy"; that's action to cut crime -- and it's working.

ALAN QUINN, chairman,

Sedgley Labour Party.