COMMUNITY safety wardens will be axed across a south Essex borough in an effort to save more than £200,000 due to the scheme being not “value for money,” according to council bosses report the Local Democracy Reporter.
Basildon Council is scrapping the wardens who patrol the town centres across the borough, a full council meeting was told on January 23. Currently, the wardens patrol six days a week and can issue fines for a number of offences including: graffiti and fly-posting, littering, causing harassment, alarm or distress, disorder and anti-social behaviour.
The council was unable to comment on any job losses. At the meeting, Andrew Baggott, leader of the Tories, said: “The cabinet member savings include £250,000 from axing the community wardens how does that fit in with the key area focus of community safety.”
Gavin Callaghan, Labour leader of the council, insisted the council is investing in in additional safety measures in the town centre. He told the meeting: “What we have to evaluate is whether or not £250,000 is value for money and as someone who represents the St Martin’s ward I can tell you I do not believe that what we are currently seeing with the community safety wardens reflects value for money. That is certainly not reflective in the conversations I am having with residents in the town centre, I don’t think it’s reflective of what Wickford councillors are saying they are seeing in their town centre.
“When we think about some of the serious incidents we’ve had in our town centre over the last 12 months we have to reflect on whether or not, what started under the last alliance administration in 2021 around community safety wardens is actually being delivered now.
“Although it is presented as a £250,000 saving we have invested about £190,000 in additional safety measures in the town centre including new lighting and we are bringing together a community safety summit on February 12 to look at what we can do to get other to put their hands in their pockets and help us to invest in the safety and security. For our businesses as well it is in their interest for our town centre to be safe and secure and therefore I don’t believe it should just fall on Basildon Council tax payers to be funding that security and safety.”
