Labour election pledge on crime

Labour says crime is one of the big concerns for electors

Crime and anti-social behaviour will be targeted by Labour as it battles to win control of more Welsh local councils.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan and Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy will launch their campaign at Swansea's Liberty Stadium.

Labour's main targets on 1 May will be four councils under Liberal Democrat control in Bridgend, Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham.

But Labour also promised to take on Plaid Cymru, despite the parties being in coalition in the Welsh assembly.

Labour says it has consulted with communities all over Wales ahead of the launch, with the main concern crime and anti-social behaviour.

According to Mr Murphy, Labour councils will pledge to use every available power to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy has pledge to fight Plaid Cymru hard

This would mean taking action to remove licences and to close shops that sell alcohol to under-18s and close pubs with persistent crime and drug-dealing problems.

Labour also pledges to increase neighbourhood policing teams to deal with problem areas and crime hotspots.

Mr Murphy will also emphasise what he calls the strong Labour partnership between local government, the assembly and Westminster.

Labour and Plaid formed a coalition Welsh Assembly Government last year, but Mr Murphy has already said that his party will fight Plaid "every step of the way" in the council elections.

During Labour's conference in February, Mr Murphy said that the coalition government with Plaid Cymru did not mean there was a wider agreement between the two parties.

"Don't let anyone tell you that we wont be fighting as hard as ever against Plaid Cymru," he said.

Currently Labour controls seven of the 22 Welsh county councils, but the party is aiming to regain control of Cardiff, Swansea, Bridgend and Wrexham councils from the Lib Dems.

The councils that Labour holds are Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Flintshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taf, and Torfaen.