Crimebusting Maltby councillors to meet Gordon Brown

TWO councillors who have helped to fight crime in their community have been invited to meet the Prime Minister for a special reception at number ten.

Maltby Town Council’s Cllr Keith Stringer and his wife, Carol, will meet Gordon Brown at a two-hour reception at Downing Street today.

They were invited in recognition of their work with the Home Office over recent years to combat anti-social behaviour and improve the environment through the Government's Community Crimefighters scheme.

Keith said: “It is a true honour to be invited to meet the prime minister and to be recognised for our work.

“It will be a very special day that we will never forget and look forward to sharing it with everyone else who works hard to fight crime and anti-social behaviour.”

The Stringers have been working with the Maltby community for a number of years as members of various voluntary groups.

In 2003, they helped The Friends of Parkhill Lodge to win a Home Office Taking a Stand award for tackling anti-social behaviour.

Two years later, as part of the Friends of Maltby Parks, the councillors helped to lead the group to an award for combating trouble in Coronation Park.

Keith has been invited on a number of occasionsto make presentations in London and Leeds about the work being undertaken in Maltby as part of the Government's Respect agenda.

Earlier this year, he also attended a pilot scheme for the Community Crimefighters initiative in Chester and has successfully won a grant for £1,000 which was donated to Rotherham's Neighbourhood Watch Scheme to help print and distribute more newsletter in the area.