Agenda item

Mr Mike Hill, Cabinet Member for Communities, Mr Clive Bainbridge, Director of Community Safety & Regulatory Services and Mr Stuart Beaumont, Head of Service, Community Safety will attend the meeting at 11.15am to answer Members’ questions on this item. 

Mr M Hill, Cabinet Member for Communities and Mr S Beaumont, Head of Service, Community Safety were present for this item.

(1)    The Chairman explained that this item had originally been called in because of concerns that the Community Warden scheme needed to be extended into new areas.  Following discussion with officers it was apparent that the scheme was being looked at and the Chairman and Spokespeople felt that it was important that Members had an input into the process.

(2)    Mr Hill explained that the Community Wardens scheme was set up originally to fill in a gap in the policing of Kent in partnership with the police.  The Police Service then introduced neighbourhood policing and community support officers, and the community wardens had successfully integrated into their own role as wardens, the full spectrum of services to the public was filled.  It became necessary for the Council to look again at the issue of deployment of wardens, which do not currently cover the whole of the County, and there was a need to widen the role of wardens to cover the appropriate areas of the County (due to safety issues).  Every area of the County would now be covered to some extent.  There would be no change in terms of Member consultation, no redeployment would take place without consulting local Members.  In response to a question from the Chairman about how the consultation would be carried out Mr Beaumont explained that District and County Councillors would be consulted during the review process.  The existing eligibility criteria would still be used to deploy the wardens, but at all stages during the review, deployment and requests for expansion of deployment Members would be consulted. 

(3)    Mr Christie explained that there were significant urban areas currently not served by a warden, would consultation be carried out with those areas where a warden would not be deployed as well as those where one would?  On the point of deployment of wardens into urban areas Mr Hill explained that it was not a case of urban and rural areas, the Council would take advice from the police on whether it was appropriate and safe to place a warden in a particular area.  Mr Beaumont explained that in the Ashford area a pilot was underway to determine how the Council gathered information to allow the best deployment of wardens.  The coverage was currently 400,000, less than a third of the rate payers of Kent.  It was hoped that it would be possible in future to offer a warden service to over a million people in Kent.

(4)    Mr Chittenden expressed his view that the urban areas were undersupplied, the majority of wardens were located in the rural areas, was this an appropriate time to be making cuts to the budget when the service was expanding.  Mr Beaumont clarified that wardens were deployed to urban areas and this would continue, the deployment of wardens had to be matched with the skills and competencies that the wardens could provide – they needed to be effective.  Many communities would benefit from the extended service and in addition the Council had negotiated free travel with the bus providers for uniformed wardens across Kent. 

(5)    In response to a question from the Chairman Mr Beaumont confirmed that there were no proposals to increase the number of wardens in post in Kent. 

(6)    Mr Horne commented that the Police Service also had to look at its budgets and make efficiencies, was the Council looking to replace the police with wardens?  Mr Hill explained that the wardens were complementary to the police service, not a replacement.  In response to a question about remuneration of the wardens, Mr Hill stated that there was a disparity; however the salary ranges were comparable taking into account powers and responsibilities.  

(7)    In response to comments from Mrs Law, Mr Hill stated that the Police and Communities Together (PACT) meetings were complementary to the warden service in Kent. 

(8)    In response to concerns from Mr Scholes about the security of the warden posts Mr Hill explained that throughout the development of the warden service the Council has been conscious that the scheme would only work with the full support and backup of the police and a formal contract existed with the police. 

(9)    Mrs Rook commented on recent incidents of bullying on school buses, was there an opportunity to engage with young people on the school buses, Mr Beaumont explained that part of the negotiations over free transport on buses was that it had to be earned.  Problem bus stops and areas outside schools were being mapped out and wardens would be deployed as appropriate to try to manage the situation. 

(10)          In response to questions from Mr Manning, Mr Beaumont explained that information was given to staff on a need to know basis at team meetings etc.  It was evident that wardens engaged in wide ranging levels of activity, community wardens promoted and occasionally supervised community payback projects, there will now be a formal understanding and recognition of this community work by the wardens.  In response to a question from the Chairman Mr Beaumont confirmed that at this time there was no income generated from this work.

(11)          Mr Parry asked for clarification on how decisions would be made over how the redeployment service would expand, was more coverage going to overload the wardens?  Mr Beaumont explained that coverage would be worked out locally with local knowledge and information.  The aim was to provide a warden service to over a million people.  Wardens were currently deployed in 128 locations, some for seven years; it was considered good practice to review this arrangement.  Mr Hill assured Members that a close eye would be kept on the wardens to ensure that they were not becoming overburdened. 

(12)          In response to a query from Mr Chittenden, Mr Hill confirmed that Members would be involved in the discussions had over the redeployment of wardens.

RESOLVED: that the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee

(13)          Thank Mr Hill and Mr Beaumont for attending the meeting and answering Members’ questions

(14)          Request that any redeployment or service change to the Community Wardens be part of a formal Cabinet Member decision

(15)          Welcome the assurance given that there would be consultation with local Members and Parish and Town Council Members during the review process before any redeployment  or service change is made,

(16)          Welcome the invitation for Members to request the deployment of a Community Warden to urban areas, subject to police advice,

(17)          Request that the Communities Policy Overview and Scrutiny Committee monitor the progress of the Community Warden Service following the redeployment of the wardens.