Enfield Council has called for more police on the streets to tackle the crimewave hitting the borough.

Councillors last week urged the government to boost police spending and officer numbers in Enfield following a spate of stabbings and shootings.

The borough’s rate of serious youth violence was the highest in London in the 12 months to November, with 397 recorded offences.

But the number of serious youth violence offences fell in December after extra police were brought in to tackle the problem.

Labour councillors claimed the rising crime rate was down to government funding cuts that meant the Metropolitan Police had lost 3,000 police officers since 2010.

A motion tabled by Cllr Nneka Keazor, cabinet member for community safety and cohesion, called on the Government “to prioritise the safety of Londoners and residents of Enfield and increase police funding and police numbers in our borough”.

But while the Conservatives agreed there was a need for a greater police presence in Enfield, they blamed Mayor of London Sadiq Khan for failing to prioritise police spending.

Cllr Mahtab Uddin, Labour member for Upper Edmonton, told Wednesday’s full council meeting: “Government cuts have affected the fabric of our society.

“Enfield has lost about 400 police officers. Our young people do not feel safe, elderly people do not feel safe, parents do not feel safe – they do not know if their children will return home safely.

“Our young people should not be joining gangs and carrying knives to feel safe. Enfield needs a cross-party solution to tackle rising crime figures.”

He called for a government “that serves the many, not the few” after pointing out that the Met Police’s budget had been cut by £850 million since 2010.

But Conservative leader Cllr Joanne Laban said her party’s budget proposals for the Greater London Assembly would free up more funding for police.

She claimed the mayor could divert funds from public relations and other areas of spending to boost police numbers.

Cllr Laban said: “I believe the mayor has to do his part. He has the ability to choose to spend money to create 1,400 extra police officers.

“I do want police officers on the streets, but I also recognise who is in charge of policing in London – and that is a Labour Mayor of London.”

Cllr Lee-David Sanders, Conservative member for Highlands, added: “It is easy to blame the Government for everything

“The Mayor of London is the police and crime commissioner for London. Completely taking him out of the equation and solely blaming the Government isn’t the right thing to do.”

He said other boroughs were making progress on tackling serious youth violence and Enfield could look at how they were dealing with the problem.

But Cllr Susan Erbil, Labour member for Ponders End, said: “I believe that with the circumstances Enfield is in, particularly with youth crime, it is time to stop the blame culture and to take action on the core of the problem.

“We know that police cuts have influence on crime statistics.

“The opposition is constantly blaming the Mayor of London, but in actual fact the police cuts are due to cuts in central government funding.

“We all know youth services have been axed, leading young people to turn to crime as an alternative.”

The motion calling for more government funding for police was carried after the Labour group voted in favour and Conservatives voted against.