A JUDICIAL review into the decision to slash resident wardens services across Barnet is due to start today at the Royal Courts of Justice.

The case against Barnet Council brought by the UK Pensioners Strategy Committee, a group of sheltered housing residents and their supporters, will start today in the court in The Strand, central London.

The judicial review against Barnet Council is the first of 50 to be brought by groups of residents against councils and registered social landlords who have decided to remove their wardens.

The wardens live at the sheltered housing schemes and support the elderly tenants but Barnet Council has decided to scrap them in favour of roaming wardens.

The plight of Barnet's wardens will be heard with a similar case against Portsmouth City Council, which replaced seven on-site night wardens with a mobile team of two.

The review is due to last for two days.