We are looking, with police forces, at how we can enhance their ability to combat crime

Home Office

They have not even been presented to Home Secretary David Blunkett, said a spokesman.

The Sunday Times, which says it has seen leaked Home Office documents, reports that the consultative group is considering the benefits of extending the powers of traffic wardens.

At present their duties are limited to dealing with a small range of fixed penalty parking offences.

The paper says their new role could include:

• issuing fixed penalties on minor driving offences such as not wearing seat-belts and ignoring traffic signs
• detaining suspects until police arrive
• helping police and neighbourhood wardens with patrols
• supervising safe routes to school
• monitoring juvenile offenders under curfew and people on the sex offenders' register.

They would be helped by street or neighbourhood wardens made up of trusted members of the community.

Other proposals are understood to include the introduction of civilian jailers in police stations who would be allowed to breath-test drink drivers and take fingerprints and DNA samples from suspects.

'No decisions made'

According to the Sunday Times, the consultative group - which includes senior police officers - concedes that extending traffic wardens' powers would be contentious.

But members said the option would "give the public the impression of a uniformed force, different from the police which had consistent powers".

A Home Office spokesman said that discussions were at a very early stage and some of the group's ideas might be dropped.

"These papers have not yet been seen by ministers and no decisions have been made," he said.

"We are looking, with police forces, at how we can enhance their ability to combat crime and there is a joint steering group looking at a range of issues which will ultimately be put forward to ministers some time in the autumn."

Pilot schemes

Street or neighbourhood wardens have been tested in pilot projects in some areas since last year.

Earlier this month 100 street wardens were created to crackdown on litter and graffiti in an effort to boost civic pride through a new �50m scheme.

Local government secretary Stephen Byers said they would act as the "eyes and ears" of the police and help fight crime by countering nuisance behaviour.

They patrol the streets in bright uniforms and radios keep them linked to the police.