Street Wardens to hit the streets in Leicestershire and Rutland as part of PCC’s Crime Prevention Initiative costing around £2m

Rupert Matthews, Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, has unveiled ambitious plans to complement local policing with Street Wardens in market towns across the force area.

Since this contract is set to go out for tender, the precise budget cannot be confirmed at this moment. Mr. Matthews has suggested that it might be valued around £2 million.

Funded through his Crime Prevention Budget, Wardens will work at targeted times and locations, guided by crime data and public feedback, to maximise impact.

Mr Matthews said there was strong evidence that Street Wardens provide a cost-effective, practical and community-focused response to the challenges facing market towns. Experiences from Middlesbrough, Newcastle, North Devon, and closer to home in Ashby, Melton Mowbray and Hinckley show they deter anti-social behaviour, shoplifting and low-level crime, freeing up police time by preventing issues before they escalate.

Working in pairs, Wardens will be linked to local CCTV, equipped with body-worn cameras, and trained in de-escalation, safeguarding and mental health awareness skills. Performance data gathered in the first year will guide future expansion.

A competitive tender process will begin shortly, with Wardens expected to be in place before Christmas.

Rupert Matthews said: “From the outset, I have been clear that crime prevention is my overriding priority.

By preventing crime, we reduce pressure not only on policing but also on other emergency services, the criminal justice system and probation, and social care

.

“I am confident that Street Wardens will play an effective role in strengthening crime prevention and boosting community confidence across our two counties. Evidence from areas where they are already established shows that their visible presence deters crime, while their ability to defuse tense situations helps reduce violence and anti-social behaviour.

“I should emphasise that Street Wardens are not a replacement for police officers, but they are a valuable complement, easing demand on police resources. Residents consistently tell me they want a visible, reassuring presence on their streets, which prevents crime and helps them feel safe.

“While I cannot stipulate where police officers are deployed or have any say over whether they should be called away from their patrol duties to other incidents, I can ensure that these Street Wardens remain a highly visible, reassuring presence in the areas where public feedback and data shows they are needed.”

As this contract is due to go out to tender the exact budget cannot be confirmed at this time.  Mr Matthews has indicated that it could be worth in the region of £2m.

The successful Security Industry Authority (SIA) Licenced Contractor will be responsible for ensuring the appropriate vetting as well as the training of all wardens supplied by them.  A member of the PCC’s team will scrutinise the delivery of the contract and performance data.

 Supplementary comment in response to query made last week.

Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews said: “The role of the Wardens is to prevent crime, rather than respond after it has occurred. Preventing crime reduces demand not only on policing but across other public services.

“My responsibilities include commissioning services that improve community safety, and Street Wardens have already demonstrated their effectiveness in this area. Under legislation, PCCs do not have operational control over police officers or staff; this is rightly the responsibility of the Chief Constable, and I fully respect that distinction.

“The public value a visible and reassuring presence in their communities. Wardens will become familiar local figures and, importantly, will not be redeployed to support policing in other areas.

“Finally, PCCs are due to be abolished in 2028. It would therefore be imprudent to ringfence funding for police officers - something I am unable to do anyway - given the uncertainty surrounding the future structure of policing. The Government’s plans for potential ‘super-force’ mergers remain unclear, and police officers cannot be recruited or released at will.”

The successful Security Industry Authority (SIA) Licenced Contractor will be responsible for ensuring the appropriate vetting as well as the training of all wardens supplied by them.  A member of the PCC’s team will scrutinise the delivery of the contract and performance data.