Police unions in scotland and England have warned against extending the powers of neighbourhood and community wardens
Jack McConnell, Scotland's first minister, recently announced a £20m scheme to fund community wardens similar to England's neighbourhood wardens, with powers to focus on crime prevention and antisocial behaviour as well as environmental issues.

And English and Welsh neighbourhood wardens could soon be given the power to hand out fixed-penalty notices of up to £80 for offences such as noise nuisance, vandalism and fly-tipping under provisions in the Antisocial Behaviour Bill published in March.

A spokesperson for the National Police Federation in England and Wales told Housing Today: "We don't favour wardens being given this role. Wardens should assist the public, but handing out fixed-penalty notices would bring them into the field of enforcement, where conflict with the public is possible."

Norrie Flowers, chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, said community wardens, the equivalent of neighbourhood wardens in England, should not be given powers to tackle antisocial behaviour. And he said Scottish wardens should never be given the power to issue fixed-penalty fines.

We are worried about the creeping tide that is giving police powers to wardens

Norrie Flowers, chairman, Scottish Police Federation

Flowers said: "We are worried about the creeping tide that is giving police powers to wardens." He said warden schemes conned the public into thinking there were more police on the beat: "Wardens look like police and it's like trying to kid on you've got more police on the streets."

Whether wardens are actually granted the fixed-penalty powers will depend on chief constables, who must grant accreditation before individuals can issue fixed-penalty notices. There are already four pilot areas – the West Midlands, Essex, north Wales and Croydon – where fixed-penalty notices can be issued, but only by the police.

A spokesperson for the Home Office said neighbourhood wardens would not be given the power to issue fixed-penalty fines without training: "Guidance will be issued to accredited persons on the issuing of penalty notices for disorder and this will clearly indicate that individuals who are intoxicated through alcohol or drugs should not be issued with penalty notices when they have committed one of the other nine offences."

There are currently 1400 wardens in England and Wales. Government funding for wardens between 2000 and 2006 will top £65m.

Source

Housing Today