MORE COMMUNITY WARDENS TO PATROL NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE'S STREETS

FROM KIRSTY WESTFIELD, NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL

North Lincolnshire Council is planning to take on four more Community Wardens to deal with parking issues and neighbourhood enforcement.
The Community Wardens team has recently been given additional powers after becoming part of Humberside Police’s Community Safety Accreditation Scheme. This has resulted in the need for extra support and more Community Wardens on the streets of North Lincolnshire.
The Humberside Police Community Safety Accreditation Scheme encourages Community Wardens (Accredited Persons) to help deter crime within communities working closely with local policing teams.
Since August 2015 community wardens have been dealing with enforcement issues things such as fly-tipping, parking, litter, graffiti and dog fouling.
Now the team has become accredited they have the power to:

• request the name and address of a person acting in an anti-social manner;
• confiscate alcohol from young persons; and
• confiscate cigarettes and tobacco products from young people.

Currently there are two Community Warden Supervisors, four Community Wardens, three Community Warden Assistants and a Community Warden and Parking Assistant.
The new proposed structure would see the number of Community Wardens increased to eight and the rest of the team would stay the same.
Coun Richard Hannigan, Cabinet Member Governance and Transformation, said: “The creation of the four new Community Warden posts will enable to the team to work more consistently and effectively across a wide range of neighbourhood issues.
“Tackling neighbourhood issues is a priority, so it is important that the team has the capacity to do this. Especially now the team has even more responsibilities under Humberside Police’s Community Safety Accreditation Scheme.
“Community Wardens are highly visible in our communities to help the public, deal with routine enforcement issues and signpost people to other council services. Enforcement action is always a last resort; however action will be taken if necessary. With extra Community Wardens they will be more visible across communities in North Lincolnshire.”