Plans to continue the Community Warden service
Chichester District Council approved plans to ensure the continuation of its Community Wardens service, ensuring that this work can continue to support residents and communities in specific areas of the district for years to come.
At a Full Council meeting, councillors approved the proposal to fund 50% of the cost of providing the service for a further three years, alongside match funding from partners.
A comprehensive review of the service last year confirmed that the areas of the district currently covered by the Community Wardens are those where this support is still most valuable, and so it was proposed that they will remain in these locations.
Moving forward, the Chichester District Community Warden Service will consist of six Community Wardens and one Senior Community Warden. They operate in the areas of: Chichester East, West, South (part); Selsey North and South; Tangmere and Oving; and East and West Wittering. The service operates on a partnership basis funded by various local partners.
Council on the importance of Community Wardens
Councillor Roy Briscoe, Cabinet Member for Community Services and Culture at Chichester District Council, says: “Extending the funding for the Community Warden Service is one of the ways in which Chichester District Council is showing its commitment to supporting our local communities.
“Community Wardens play an important role in community development and encouraging and increasing community involvement. They also deal with environmental issues such as graffiti, litter, and dog fouling and work with the police, police community support officers (PCSOs) and local communities to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour and fear of crime.
“The new proposal follows a review and a previous consultation in which partners agreed that the current service provides value for money, and so we’re keen to continue delivering this support in any way we can.”
Help provided by the community service
Since 2005, the Community Wardens have dealt with over 55,000 incidents, the majority of which related to low level crime and anti-social behaviour. In the last few years, they have increasingly been involved in community-based interventions and support for vulnerable people.
During the pandemic, they played a key role in identifying vulnerable residents and delivering vital food and medications and they continue to support some of these residents in their communities.
For more information about this service, please visit: www.chichester.gov.uk/communitywardens
