Good progress towards recruiting a new team of Community Wardens has seen four of the 14 new officers start their roles. Once fully operational, the team will operate seven days a week, including evening patrols.
In June, RCT Council’s Cabinet agreed to employ a new team of Community Wardens. The new Community Wardens will provide a high-profile, reassuring presence in communities to tackle anti-social behaviour, focusing on key locations like town centres and parks. Their primary duty is to reassure residents and the wider local community by creating a safer, more pleasant environment.
Community Wardens will respond to reports of anti-social behaviour and enforce the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), which bans drinking alcohol and using other intoxicating substances in town centres.
They will also issue fines for everyday environmental offences such as littering, dog fouling, and not following the ban on dogs from children’s play areas and marked sports pitches.
The new Community Wardens officially started their roles in September. They will begin their visible community patrols upon completion of their training. The Council’s recruitment of the remaining Community Wardens continues, with more information on applications available on the Council website.
Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Investment, said: “There has been a clear increase in anti-social behaviour in local communities since the pandemic. This is why Cabinet Members agreed to the Council employing a new team of dedicated Community Wardens earlier this year.
“The Community Wardens will be a friendly, reassuring presence for residents, targeting hotspot areas for anti-social behaviour – with a focus on town centres and parks.
“The new officers will work alongside existing Council departments to enforce the PSPO in relation to alcohol-related anti-social behaviour, while they will also have the power to enforce other day-to-day offences such as dog fouling and the wider PSPO relating to Dog Controls.
“They will act as additional eyes and ears on the ground for Council enforcement teams, while working with partner organisations to create safer communities.
“It is important to add that the Community Wardens will be in addition to, and not in place of, the existing police presence in Rhondda Cynon Taf. In fact, Cabinet also agreed for the Council to fund an additional 10 Police Community Support Officers (PSCOs) dedicated to RCT in June – which is on top of the 100 extra PCSOs for Wales being funded by Welsh Government.
“Following the start of the Council’s recruitment process for the Community Wardens team, I’d like to welcome Graham, Rory, Ben and Alyn to their new roles. They have started their community patrols, and the Council continues recruitment for the remaining roles within the team.”
South Wales Police Superintendent Marc Attwell, added: “The community wardens will play an important role in tackling anti-social behaviour across Rhondda Cynon Taf.
“They are already working closely with our neighbourhood policing teams to target those whose behaviour is affecting the quality of life of others.
“From substance misuse in town centres, to littering and dog fouling in our parks, the wardens will help to deal with some of the most prevalent issues that we experience in our communities with the shared aim of ensuring town centres and parks can be enjoyed by everyone.
“At South Wales Police we very much welcome their deployment and they have our full support.”
The Council’s new team of Community Wardens has also received support from local bus operator Stagecoach.
Nigel Winter, Managing Director, Stagecoach South Wales, added: “We’re very pleased to be working in partnership with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council on their new Community Warden service.
“The Community Wardens will offer a uniformed, professional patrolling presence which will strengthen and reassure the local communities. We’re delighted to support the Wardens by offering free travel on Stagecoach buses in Rhondda Cynon Taf and we wish them all the best of luck in their new roles.”
