CUTS in police funding have been slammed by a Conservative councillor in the wake of a high-profile report into racist attacks.

Coun John Williams has made fresh calls for a safety warden scheme to be introduced after the publication of the Macpherson Report into the death of Stephen Lawrence.

But Labour leaders on Blackburn with Darwen Council have hit back, claiming Coun Williams has used the issue to attack policing levels rather than support the recommendations.

Coun Williams said he welcomed the report, but launched an attack on Home Secretary Jack Straw, claiming residents' safety was being put at risk by the cuts.

"He has cut funding so words cannot be turned into actions," Coun Williams told a council meeting. We need to ensure all our citizens feel safe in their own homes, but Mr Straw has reduced Lancashire police funding since he took control. "The authority is charged with ensuring an instant response to all racist incidents, not all incidents. This is not good enough. We are asking for assurances that the neighbourhood warden scheme will come to our estates."

Coun Gail Barton said: "The Conservatives do not want to talk about the important race issue and they just cannot grasp its seriousness. Of course it's the right of all citizens to have security, but it's a fool who would believe that the ethnic minority have not faced targeted violence.

"That's the thrust of this report and to deviate from that is disgusting. We'll do our utmost to ensure our ethnic citizens don't have to suffer racial harassment."

Council leader Malcolm Doherty added: "If people think there are magic amounts of money appearing they are living in a fool's paradise. We are stuck with a Tory plan from five years ago and we have to do the best with the funding that is available."

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