Neighbourhood wardens are set to patrol a South London neighbourhood for the first time in a new trial scheme. Wandsworth Council plans to roll out the £170,000 pilot in Balham for six months to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour, with the potential to introduce it in other parts of the borough if it is successful.
The core team is set to consist of the council’s parks police constables, without impacting their regular service, with extra support from council officers. They will patrol the area four days a week at peak times, including after school, commuter windows and in the evening, starting in March.
The pilot will be funded from developer contributions, costing £170,000 for the six-month trial. The funds will be used for staffing, training, uniforms and operational requirements, including vehicles.
The success of the pilot will be assessed using performance indictors that are still being finalised, but are likely to include resident feedback, breaches of Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs), enhanced referrals to support services and incidences of shoplifting and fly-tipping. The Labour-run council’s cabinet will make a final decision on whether to approve the trial on February 23.
The council proposed the pilot after launching the Balham Forum in November to explore residents’ views on the town centre and propose improvements, which could also be rolled out across the rest of the borough.
A new report by council officers said that while most residents who gave feedback generally felt safe in Balham, some concerns were raised about perceived rises in levels of anti-social behaviour, street cleanliness, enforcement of PSPOs and the need for long-term, compassionate solutions to homelessness.
The neighbourhood wardens will engage with residents and businesses, provide targeted education and intervention and use enforcement powers where necessary to address anti-social behaviour.
The report said: “The overarching message received from residents was that they broadly value their area but feel that growing pressures could risk undermining the positive aspects which contribute to the ‘village feel’ of Balham.”
It added: “National and local learning consistently shows that visible patrols used as part of a wider joined-up council response are key to improving public confidence and safety. The aim is therefore to deter and tackle anti-social behaviour, while ensuring the team connects people in need to appropriate support services.
“Residents have been clear that they want to see people in need of services such as rough sleepers given help with clear outcomes, not just moved along. As well as the strong steer we have received from residents via the forum, the Balham area makes sense as a pilot area due to its representative mix of economic, residential and transport hubs, further supported by strong resident engagement through the Balham Forum.”
Other measures introduced by the council to help residents feel safer include increased CCTV coverage and improved lighting. It also pledges to fix graffiti, a dangerous pothole or a broken street sign within seven days of it being reported.
Labour council leader Simon Hogg said: “Safer neighbourhoods is a top priority for the council. Cuts to police funding over the last decade mean they have to focus on more serious crime, but we know that low-level nuisances like graffiti, noise and other anti-social behaviour have a big impact on residents’ lives.
“Wandsworth is the safest inner London borough, but we are determined that local people should always feel safe out on the streets.”
The council will gather feedback from residents on the pilot to measure its success and whether it should be rolled out to other town centres.
