Pressure to hire more parking wardens in Greenwich has increased, with a bus drivers’ petition handed in to the council.

Greenwich has struggled to hire enforcement officers to combat “parking anarchy” across the borough.

A petition backed by 85 bus drivers at Plumstead bus garage was submitted at a full council meeting last night, calling for more wardens along the high street.

Councillors were told at a recent meeting that rounds of recruitment had proved unsuccessful, with no new recruits being hired.

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Councillor Matt Clare was reassured last night however that eight agency staff were being brought in to combat the problems being seen across the borough.

Cllr Clare replied: “I’m pleased to hear that more officers are coming on board, but they are agency staff and could leave at any time.

“I would like confirmation that recruitment for permanent staff is ongoing.”

Councillor Jackie Smith, the cabinet member for enforcement, said the council only had the capability to employ 22 permanent wardens.

Cllr Smith said “We can’t go above that until we’ve done a workforce review.

“Any member of staff we recruit at the moment will be agency, we haven’t got the budget to go beyond that.

“Yes they can leave but if we have budget pressures and they are not doing what we need to do then we can flex that resource.

“We do need to do an urgent review about where we are and where we are going.

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“We have two due to start next week. People can’t just walk in off the street though,  they have to undergo all the usual employment checks, but as soon we can get them out on the street we will.”

The cabinet member has requested the number of officers be increased above the current 22 limit.