Warden scheme goes private

STREET wardens will be employed through a private security company to patrol the streets of Hailsham, despite a lack of support from police.

Long-running discussions about the wardens scheme, which is intended to support the work of the police, came to an end at a special meeting of Hailsham Town Council last week.

It was decided that a private company will be used for the task, rather than an in-house 'community warden' employed directly by the council.

Cllr Nigel Coltman, a member of the working party set up to investigate the idea of wardens, said he was not overly keen on the whole idea.

'However, we have the mandate of the town to go ahead with it,' he said. 'A year trial is the best way to go at this stage, so we should look very seriously at employing a firm like Securicor to provide the service for us.'

Approval

In the town council's last budget, 51,000 was raised through tax for the purpose of providing two wardens. In a public vote, the majority of townsfolk voiced their approval for the scheme.

Cllr Nick Ellwood, who originally proposed the need for wardens, said last week: 'We need to put all the money we have raised into assisting the police and reducing crime and disorder in Hailsham.

'If we put the contract out to tender, we can make use of the existing expertise of private security companies. Where it has been tried in other areas, there has been a very strong rapport between the police and the wardens, because they both have the same goals.

'An extra pair of eyes and ears on the street can only be a plus factor for Hailsham.'

However, Chief Inspector Grenville Wilson was not so enthusiastic about a private firm. He said: 'Sussex Police would not endorse or actively co-operate with the oversight of a private security scheme in Hailsham.

'Private security wardens will, by their very nature, be unlikely to engage with the community as much as a community warden would.

'We would respond to their emergency calls, but only as we would respond to those from any other member of public. We cannot implement the same protocols and data exchange as we may be able to with a community warden.'

Cllr John Garvican, who has always been against the idea of wardens, said: 'It would seem that the situation in Hailsham is changing radically. At the time the consultation was set up, the police station was not open 24 hours a day. Soon it will be.

'I think we should refer this back to the working party with a brief to report back in three months' time.'

Cllr Ellwood replied to the criticisms by playing down the power of community wardens. He said: 'They are there to clean graffiti, pick up litter and chat to the residents, which is all very nice.

Arrest

'But street wardens are there to deter criminals and act as witnesses. It's true that they wouldn't be able to handcuff people, but they can exercise the citizens' arrest. I have seen wardens like these at work, and they can be very, very effective.'

He said, in summary: 'This will guarantee 80 hours of patrolling per week on the streets of Hailsham. If we employed a warden ourselves, we would have to deal with holidays, sickness and everything else.

'With a private scheme, the company covers all absences themselves so we are guaranteed a warden at all times. Let's give it a try. We have nothing to fear.'

Members of the council voted in favour of the private scheme, 15 to 1.