Fifteen new community safety wardens are now out and about in Calderdale helping to keep the borough safe and looking its best.
Calderdale Council has increased the number of its wardens to provide a more visible presence in local areas to help keep the borough safe, clean and green. This will build on the service already provided by the Council’s eight existing neighbourhood-based community wardens.
Cllr Susan Press, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Communities, said:
“Community wardens provide a valuable contribution to communities around Calderdale and we know that residents feel reassured by their presence.
“I’m delighted that we’ve recruited another 15 new wardens to contribute to the great work that our existing wardens have been providing across Calderdale.”
The new recruits have been in training since the start of October, working closely with Council services and partners such as the fire service and trading standards. West Yorkshire Police has also provided a vast amount of training to help the wardens understand partnership working and how we can all support each other.
Police Chief Inspector Gareth Crossley said:
“Community Wardens are a fantastic asset to the communities of Calderdale and further extend and complement the partnership working already in place across the district.
“Community Wardens enhance the high visibility presence we have already across Calderdale and their support in tackling civil issues will allow our teams to focus on appropriate enforcement where justified.
“This is just one of the many ways we are working with Calderdale Council and the Community Safety Partnership to make the district a safer place to live, work and bring up families.”
The wardens will be tackling issues from anti-social behaviour and road safety to littering and dog fouling. The wardens will not only take enforcement action; they will also work on prevention, education and reassurance as part of a problem-solving approach to communities’ issues. Examples of activities include:
- Issuing fines for offences such as dog fouling and littering.
- Tackling fly-tipping and noise nuisance.
- Working with the Council’s licensing team to carry out checks – for example, in public houses, fast food premises and taxis.
- Tackling community road safety issues.
- Dealing with anti-social behaviour.
- Challenging highway offences like fly-posting, rights of way and over-hanging vegetation.
The wardens are also fully trained to monitor the Council’s CCTV and as door supervisors, meaning they are able to steward events and intervene in situations safely and effectively.
The Council funds the community warden service and will pay for the new wardens from its existing budget.
You can follow the Community Wardens on Twitter @CMBC_CSRT(external link) or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CMBCCSRT(external link)