A CLAMPDOWN on yobs and drugs is being called for by families in the back streets of London’s crime-ridden East End. They vote for tough measures to tackle street hooligans when they turned up for a public budget’ session to vote on what they wanted their council tax spent on

By Mike Brooke

A CLAMPDOWN on yobs and drugs is being called for by families in the back streets of London’s crime-ridden East End.

They vote for tough measures to tackle street hooligans when they turned up for a public budget’ session to vote on what they wanted their council tax spent on.

Households in Shadwell and Wapping got the chance to choose what extra local services they want for their neighbourhood from a shortlist at Tower Hamlets Council’s latest public budget’ session.

They voted to spend �280,000 of council tax fighting drugs and crime and ways to keep youngsters off the streets, which includes �85,000 for an outreach’ programme offering advice and help to addicts.

NECK ON BLOCK

“We were sticking our neck on the block,” admitted council cabinet member Joshua Peck.

“There are not many local authorities handing over the reins of council spending in this way.

“But it makes sense giving people the chance to decide how to spend money on extra services for their community.

“After all—they’re the ones who live here.”

The audience had electronic voting pads similar to those in Chris Tarrant’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? ITV show and saw live on a screen which services and projects were receiving most votes.

Top of the poll was a �50,000 Youth Inclusion programme for 75 teenagers at risk of getting into a life of crime.

Another �35,000 was voted for a zero tolerance’ drugs and crime operations to target yobs on the streets.