New warden services to combat anti-social behaviour
Action by Sheffield City Council and Sheffield Homes will ensure that the residents of Manor, Castle, Netherthorpe and Upperthorpe will continue to receive a high quality warden service.
The Council has commissioned Sheffield Homes to establish two new Neighbourhood Warden schemes at Manor Castle and Netherthorpe, Walkley, Hillsborough and a mobile warden service, which will respond to hotspots anywhere in the city out of hours. Sheffield Homes already runs successful schemes at Lowedges, Wincobank, and Burngreave.
Warden schemes currently run by Manor and Castle Development Trust and Netherthorpe and Upperthorpe Community Alliance in their respective areas have been unsuccessful in finding sufficient funding to keep going beyond the next month or so.
Councillor Jan Wilson, Leader of Sheffield City Council, said: "We think that it is very important to have wardens in these areas providing a visible presence on the streets and that is why the Council is funding these new schemes. With one organisation, Sheffield Homes, running all the warden schemes there will be a consistent approach without losing accountability and flexibility at a local level. The schemes will deliver a service to all residents in an area and be accountable to the local Sheffield Homes board," she added.
The advantages of Sheffield Homes managing the service are:
- the Neighbourhood Warden schemes will cover a wider geographical area
- being a large organisation Sheffield Homes brings economies of scale and lower management overheads
The schemes will be managed by the local Area Manager who delivers other neighbourhood services particularly estate management and management of anti-social behaviour, which are core to the warden role.
Peter Morton, Chief Executive of Sheffield Homes, explained: "The people currently employed as Rangers or Wardens in the existing community schemes have been invited to apply for the new jobs with Sheffield Homes and will be offered priority interviews next week. Hopefully they will be successful and Sheffield Homes will be able to retain the experience and local knowledge gained over the last few years by these staff."
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