LIB DEM LEADER CHARLES KENNEDY TO SEE WEST BERKS CCTV IN ACTION

2.02.18pm GMT Fri 4th Feb 2005

Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy MP will be visiting West Berkshire on 10 February 2005.

The main purpose of his visit will be to learn about the Council's CCTV system at 11am, and to see what the police and Council are doing to fight crime locally.

Local MP David Rendel has been campaigning for more police officers on the beat in West Berkshire. The Liberal Democrats will be fighting the election on a pledge to recruit an extra 10,000 police officers.

Commenting, Mr Rendel said:

"I am delighted to welcome Charles Kennedy back to West Berkshire. I am proud that our local campaign to recruit more police officers and fight crime will be receiving such heavyweight political support."

ENDS

NOTES:

The Audit Commission praised West Berkshire's CCTV programme in their last report, which states: "We found a general consensus that CCTV had been effective in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour in Newbury." (Audit Commission, 'Community Safety: West Berkshire Council', Inspection Report, March 2002).

Mr Kennedy's visit comes after an ICM opinion poll for the Daily Mail found that people prefer him to Michael Howard when asked who they want to see as the next Prime Minister. Mr Kennedy was up 6% since 2001, according to this poll, with the Conservative leader down 5% - making Mr Howard even more unpopular than William Hague.