PLANS to reduce York's maze of snickets and back alleys in a council crackdown on crime may have run into a political dead end.

City of York Council executive members were today due to discuss proposals to gate off alleys and snickets in the Bootham, Clifton and Burton Stone Lane areas.

A proposal has also been made to appoint a special council officer to oversee the "alleygating" process.

But the council's opposition Labour group has "called-in" the item for further debate at Thursday's strategic policy panel (SPP) meeting.

Council leader Steve Galloway now fears the September deadline for submitting the proposals could be missed by the delay, as the council takes its summer recess during August.

If a decision is made at the SPP meeting, the proposals then have to be referred back to the executive. Labour leader Dave Merrett confirmed his group's support for "alleygating", but said the process must be "properly thought through".

The group was concerned by a "lack of clarity" in the "alleygating" report, Coun Merrett said.

He said questions would be raised over possible future funding problems for maintaining the alleygates, as the executive report states the council may only be responsible for maintenance for the first 12 months.

Coun Merrett said: "The report hints that ward committees could pay for this maintenance, but there are no guarantees of this.

"More seriously, limited ward committee budgets may prevent most schemes requested by residents going ahead, despite the crime reduction benefits.

"We fully support the principle of alleygating as a proven method of reducing crime, but our support for the policy makes us even more determined to see it properly thought through."

But Coun Galloway said: "Given the deadline for the next submission of proposals to designate the South Bank, Clifton, Bootham and Groves areas as suitable for an alleygating initiative, the shadow executive's proposals would effectively shelve the plan.

"This would be a major blow to the progress being made in dealing with burglary problems in the areas proposed for designation and would be contrary to the best interests of the residents living there."

Updated: 10:22 Tuesday, July 29, 2003