£8,000 guards were '˜money well spent' says Peterborough City Council leader

Councillor John Holdich said the money was spent by the cash-strapped authority to protect the public over Christmas and new year, and he did not rule out doing it again in the future if problems resurfaced.

The guards were there to tell rough sleepers what support was available to them and to call the police if there was any anti-social behaviour, according to a council spokesman at the time.

Cllr Holdich said: “I was getting complaints from shopkeepers and the general public.

“Because it was coming up to Christmas we put them in for the protection of the public. Young people lying there were very rude and quite threatening.

“I went to officers and said it’s getting out of hand with urinating on walls and drug taking. This is what the officers came up with.

“It was definitely money well spent. The public have come back to me said they appreciated it.”