Councillors have been urged to re-think plans to leave parks unlocked at night amid fears of a rise in crime and anti-social behaviour.

Barnet Council claims leaving the gates to the borough’s parks unlocked would save £75,000 a year and would not necessarily lead to an increase in crime.

A council report states: “There does not appear to be a clear deterministic relationship between the locking status of a park and the level of crime and anti-social behaviour within the park.”

But Roger Chapman, chairman of the Friends of Cherry Tree Wood charity, told Thursday’s (March 14) environment committee meeting it would be ‘unwise’ to press ahead with the move.

He said: “The November 28 report said that ceasing locking of parks would take place ‘following a consultation with the police and community safety team’.

“The report before you references the fact that no police comment has been received.

“The phase one section states that ceasing to lock these parks would have no impact on the security or safety of these parks.

“It is not backed up with any evidence.”

Mr Chapman pointed out that in 2002 the Conservative administration said locking the parks at night “will make life harder for vandals, underage drinkers and drug takers”.

Nearly 1,500 people have so far signed a petition opposing the move to stop locking the parks on the basis that it will lead to a rise in anti-social behaviour and vandalism.

The plans are set out in three phases, with the first phase made up of parks that are already left partially unlocked.

Phase two parks could be left unlocked depending on the outcome of a public consultation, while the council could stop locking phase three parks following a review of the first two phases.

The proposals were attacked by Labour environment spokesman Cllr Alan Schneiderman, who branded them “another hare-brained scheme from the Tories”.

He said: “What is the rationale for putting this forward? Quite clearly residents are not happy with it – you do not need to do a consultation.”

Committee chair Cllr Dean Cohen replied: “We are putting forward the first phase, which does not have any safety issues at all.

“You know very well consultations are done to work with communities and with people. Often they come up with ideas which we do not come up with.”

Cllr Schneiderman asked how much money the council would save from ceasing locking the phase one parks.

Jamie Blake, strategic director of environment, estimated it would save around £10,000 to £11,000 per year.

He added a consultation would come with a one-off cost of between £10,000 and £12,000.

Cllr Schneiderman said: “There will have to be two consultations – that is £20,000 already.

“It is an unsafe proposal and it is unclear you will be saving any money.”

Cllr Schneiderman put forward an amendment to carry on locking the parks, but it was voted down by Conservative members of the committee.

The recommendation to cease locking phase one sites and go ahead with a consultation on phase two was then approved, with the Conservatives voting in favour and Labour members voting against.