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Lib Dems's extra police promise Lib Dems's extra police promise
(30 minutes later)
Liberal Democrats are promising to put up to 500 extra police community support officers on the beat if they win power in May's assembly election. Liberal Democrats have pledged to fund up to 500 extra police community support officers if they win power in the Welsh assembly elections.
AM Eleanor Burnham is expected to tell the Lib Dem conference that they are the only party with comprehensive proposals to cut crime. AM Eleanor Burnham told delegates in Swansea that funding would be made available over the next assembly term.
She will accuse Labour of presiding over a catalogue of errors in prisons and the criminal justice system. She called for power over the police and prisons to be transferred to the assembly, provided sufficient funding accompanied the move.
It is the final day of the Lib Dem Welsh spring conference in Swansea. Ms Burnham was speaking to the Lib Dem Welsh spring conference in Swansea.
The North Wales AM will tell delegates that the community support officers - uniformed civilians who work alongside regular police constables - will be much more effective in fighting crime than the government's proposed identity card scheme. The north Wales assembly member described the aborted attempts to merge police forces as a demonstration that Wales was better able to decide what kind of policing it needed.
In her address she will argue that the much publicised problems at the Home Office make this a good time to devolve responsibility for the police and prisons to Wales. She told delegates that after all its tough talking Labour had failed on crime.
Younger voters Highest proportion
She said: "Violent crime, for instance, has doubled in the last eight years.
"More than three in every five prisoners are convicted of another crime within two years of release, the highest proportion since records began.
"Less than one in every 100 crimes leads to a court conviction."
A pledge to promote acceptable behaviour contracts to curb drunkenness and violence in our towns and cities will also be among a series of Liberal Democrat plans designed to make communities across Wales feel more safe and secure.A pledge to promote acceptable behaviour contracts to curb drunkenness and violence in our towns and cities will also be among a series of Liberal Democrat plans designed to make communities across Wales feel more safe and secure.
On Saturday assembly Liberal Democrat leader Mike German told the conference they needed to target younger voters for the poll.On Saturday assembly Liberal Democrat leader Mike German told the conference they needed to target younger voters for the poll.
Mr German said tactics would include campaigning for the vote for 16-year-olds and targeting big university constituencies.Mr German said tactics would include campaigning for the vote for 16-year-olds and targeting big university constituencies.
Proportional representation is a key policy for Sir Menzies
But with the turnout amongst younger voters notoriously low, he acknowledged it would be tough.But with the turnout amongst younger voters notoriously low, he acknowledged it would be tough.
Mr German also warned his party not to be distracted from their mission of creating a fairer, greener future for Wales, and said they still had a lot to gain before the May election.Mr German also warned his party not to be distracted from their mission of creating a fairer, greener future for Wales, and said they still had a lot to gain before the May election.
Later, MP Lembit Opik's message to the conference was these are the most important six weeks in the life of the party.Later, MP Lembit Opik's message to the conference was these are the most important six weeks in the life of the party.
Proportional representation is a key policy for Sir Menzies
He said Wales was like a "living, breathing dragon that was suffocating under a directionless Labour administration".He said Wales was like a "living, breathing dragon that was suffocating under a directionless Labour administration".
Mr Opik also refused the chance to talk about a possible assembly coalition, saying he would do so only after the election.Mr Opik also refused the chance to talk about a possible assembly coalition, saying he would do so only after the election.
On Friday, in his speech to the party leader Sir Menzies Campbell stressed his "absolute" commitment to proportional representation in a speech to Welsh Liberal Democrats.On Friday, in his speech to the party leader Sir Menzies Campbell stressed his "absolute" commitment to proportional representation in a speech to Welsh Liberal Democrats.
Sir Menzies told activists they should be in "no doubt" about his commitment to PR for "every election".Sir Menzies told activists they should be in "no doubt" about his commitment to PR for "every election".