Extra Calderdale Covid wardens appointed to enforce rules and restrictions

The Council’s Community Protection Team, which consists of representatives from Community Safety and Resilience, Licensing and Environmental Health teams, continues to work with West Yorkshire Police and other partners to support Calderdale communities through the COVID pandemic.

The 10 new wardens will be in post until at least the end of May 2021 and will work with the wider team to support a range of community safety and enforcement tasks.

This will include engaging with and advising people around COVID guidelines and legislation.

They will also support businesses with advice around COVID safety measures and when necessary carry out compliance checks on licensed premises and retail businesses in Calderdale.

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, Cllr Jenny Lynn, said: “COVID has caused added pressures for many Council services, including our Community Safety Wardens. In addition to their ongoing work to tackle issues like anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping, they’ve also been providing local communities with important COVID safety messages and enforcing regulations.

“This important work has been supported by staff from other Council services, but it’s great news that we’ve now recruited 10 additional wardens to increase the resilience of the team and help us keep communities safe.

“The number of COVID cases in the borough is still too high. We know that the vast majority of people are doing all they can to help reduce the spread of the virus, but we won’t hesitate to take action if we find COVID regulations being breached and people’s safety being put at risk.”

The Council said the success of the team relies on issues being reported and a dedicated online reporting tool is now available for people who have concerns around COVID safety guidelines not being followed.

Issues can be reported on the Council website here.All reports are treated anonymously and are sent straight to the Council’s Community Protection Team.

In addition to the COVID response, the Council’s Community Safety Wardens also assist with investigations into reports of anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping, as well as other licensing and housing issues – all of which have seen an increase this year.

Throughout this period of increased demand, the team has also been supported by staff from other parts of the Council.

This has included parking services officers assisting with mobile patrols and staff from leisure services redeployed to front line and intelligence roles whilst sports centres have been closed.