New bid to find wardens

Interviews for the two posts were first carried out in the autumn after the pilot scheme aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour, graffiti and criminal damage was adopted by council members in September.

However, applicants for the posts back then were not deemed suitable so the council has advertised the jobs again.

The clerk, Diana Francis, said: 'We could not appoint from the list of applicants before.

'There was one applicant who was suitable for the post but we couldn't appoint just one warden, we have to appoint both together. So we are holding the interview process again.'

Interviews will take place on February 10. Seven candidates have applied for the two jobs.

Mrs Francis said candidates had to meet a relatively strict list of criteria. Qualities required include experience with working with the public, good communication skills, a high level of energy and enthusiasm, and the ability to write reports.

Candidates must also have fully declared any police records.

At a public meeting held last year, Sussex Police Chief Inspector for Wealden Grenville Wilson assured residents that wardens would not replace police officers in the parish.

He said that they would receive five weeks training from the police before they were allowed on patrol.

The wardens will be uniformed but will have no powers of arrest. However, they will be 'highly skilled in dealing with potentially difficult situations' and could be used as 'professional witnesses' in prosecutions.

The total cost of the two-year scheme has been estimated at 62,300 in the first year and 56,440 in the second.

The county council has promised to provide 50,000 funding for the first year and to underwrite the second year up to the same value if the parish council is unable to find alternative sources of funding.

A meeting of Wealden District Council's cabinet was yesterday (Thursday) expected to rubber-stamp a one-off payment of 1,000 to the scheme to help with start up costs.