Safer high streets over holidays

Published Monday 22 July, 2024
Last updated on Monday 22 July, 2024

Swale Borough Council will have more Safer Streets Marshals patrolling over the summer holidays.

The uniformed marshals will be patrolling Sheerness and Sittingbourne High Streets from 22^nd July, during the afternoons and into the evenings, to help deter crime and to intervene when they witness anti-social behaviour.

The council will also be deploying an additional marshal in Sheerness to help keep the town centre safe.

The initiative is part of the council’s Safer Streets campaign, which aims to tackle anti-social behaviour and reduce violence against women and girls.

The marshals wear body cameras and have radios connected through Swale Link to the Council’s CCTV centre and work closely with the police.

The initiative has led to the successful prevention of anti-social behaviour, such as being able to track down people suspected of vandalising the toilets at Beachfields and administering lifesaving first aid.

In addition to the street marshals, the council’s Safer Streets project is also implementing other measures to help people feel safe in the towns, such as:

• installing additional CCTV cameras in both Sheerness and Sittingbourne
• improving lighting in open spaces such as the four extra solar lights in the Beachfields play area
• funding youth programmes
• offering free active bystander training
• trimming down overgrown trees to make spaces lighter and more open
• educational workshops at a local secondary school focusing on subjects such as anti-social behaviour, drugs, alcohol, knife crime and vaping
• working in partnership with Sheppey Matters to help fund Community engagement events

The campaign is being funded by the Government’s Safer Streets Fund, which the council successfully bid for by working with the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner through the Community Safety Partnership.

Richard Palmer, chair of the Community and Leisure Committee, said:

“The Safer Streets project is delivering measures that are already having a positive impact on the safety of these two town centres.

“The marshals in particular have had a great track record so far, having received positive feedback from both the public and the police.

“Their ability to work closely with the police and our CCTV team has been crucial to their success, having that support enables them to combat anti-social behaviour confidently, knowing they will receive back up when they need it.

“I am looking forward to seeing the marshals back out in our high streets, helping people feel safer in the towns we cherish.”

Elliott Jayes, vice chair of the Community and Leisure Committee, said:

“Our Safer Streets campaign is trying to use the funds from the government in the best way possible, making sure every penny goes towards measures to help our communities.

“Of course, we would have loved to implement these measures across the whole borough, but the funding guidelines from central government meant we needed to be very targeted with our approach.

“We want our town centres to be a safer place for residents and visitors alike and hope these marshals' presence will make a positive step towards this goal.”