A GOVERNMENT minister is “living in cloud cuckoo land” over “stupid” plans for Neighbourhood Watch groups to provide social care.

That’s the damning view of two neighbourhood watch co-ordinators after health minister Norman Lamb said he wants them to apply for care status and start looking after vulnerable residents.

Chris Colledge, co-ordinator at Bournemouth’s West Cliff Neighbourhood Watch Group, said the Liberal Democrat MP is “living in cloud cuckoo land” and said he had “no idea of the concept of neighbourhood watch”.

“Watches provide the eyes and ears of the community to promote a safer neighbourhood,” he said.

“We should not provide unpaid carers.

“I believe that should be done through working with GPs and professionals.

“Neighbourhood Watch does not mean neighbourhood nursing.”

Mr Lamb has called on Neighbourhood Watch Groups to help those with care needs as well as providing company for the lonely.

Norman Decent, from Bourne-mouth’s Poole Hill Neighbour-hood Watch, said he would not hesitate to help someone in need but providing day-to-day care was unrealistic.

“I’m not a carer,” he said. “We would need a team of qualified people. It’s a stupid idea.”

Anne Robertson, co-ordinator of the Westbourne group, helps the elderly get through Winter and said she understands Mr Lamb’s idea as she meets lonely people.

She said: “We probably do a lot of this in Westbourne already but I’m not going into people’s homes giving them care.”

Poole councillor Roy Godfrey co-ordinates the Broadstone group which won best neighbourhood watch in the county, and said the committee would discuss the idea, “though it does not sound very practical”.